


Corner of the Universe

by Scylaire



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Afterlife, Angst, Ardyn Being Ardyn, Blow Jobs, Canon Compliant, Cuddling, First Kiss, Fix-It, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, M/M, Making Up, Panic Attacks, Post-Canon, Smut, Soul Bond, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, and making out, they deserved better and we all know it, this is gonna get real cheesy you guys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-12
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-01-16 14:42:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 70,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12344700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scylaire/pseuds/Scylaire
Summary: As the sun rises above Insomnia, the only thing keeping Prompto grounded are the familiar letters on his arm, black ink illuminated by the light. Noctis always feels a little closer whenver he runs his fingers across them.After a decade of wishing and hoping he finally gets back what has been meant for him all along but if he's learned one thing, it's that everything valuable has its price.In between all the falling stars Prompto builds his universe anew and learns that such a fragile thing as hope can be strong enough to rewrite history after all.





	1. Nebula

**Author's Note:**

> I've thought about this idea for quite some time and finally decided to attempt writing it. 
> 
> There isn't much happening in chapter 1 but I promise it'll get a lot better as the story goes on. I don't know exactly where this will go but I hope you'll enjoy :) Rating may change later but for now I left it at T just to be sure.

_“I’m not going to stay.”_

Those had been the first words Noctis had said as soon as they’d sat down inside what had once been Hammerhead’s diner. It had changed in the same rhythm everything else had, slowly at first and then faster as the fear of the population grew. Local hunters as well as those that travelled a long way to be here had made it their base, their home. _Home_ had become such an empty word, a synonym to danger and threat rather than security and warmth. The world had turned into an endless darkness full of ruins and every action, every decision any person did was laced with fear accompanied by a small lingering sensation of hope that nobody dared to speak. There was no place for light in a world as dark as this after all.

 

Ten years were such a long time yet it felt unreal, almost as if they’d died along with the sun long ago and were now living as empty vessels of what they once had been. Everyone was the same, there were no differences in expressions anymore, every pair of eyes having lost its sparkle, now replaced with the reflection of the artificial light of the lamps that had been placed in hope of keeping the daemons away and the plants growing as best as they could. Eventually most people gave up on their small villages and homes and searched refuge in Lestallum instead which was considered to be the safest place. Some of them volunteered to travel to Hammerhead instead, helping fellow hunters with everything they could.

 

Among them was also Prompto, who was sat on top of one of the platforms used for overlooking the land near Hammerhead right now. He knew that he should have stayed inside with everyone else, he’d hoped for this moment to come for ten years and now that it was finally here he was by himself again. The lantern above him was shining directly into his eyes, forcing his lids to close themselves against his will. He wanted to imagine what it would be like if the light was replaced by the sun again and what it would feel like to finally feel the warm rays on his skin again, being blinded by actual daylight rather than this artificial one.

 

If it would be worth what it was going to be taking from him soon.

 

“I’m going to die” was what followed after. Noctis’ face had been lacking any kind of expression, only holding a cold stare. No matter how much he searched, Prompto hadn’t been able to find even the slightest trace of fear inside his eyes. No hope, either.

 

That expression had been the very thing that made this feel so real and had waken him up from his ten year long trance during which his feet had only taken the steps which were absolutely necessary, his brain keeping him awake during the nights instead, filling them with nightmares even when he didn’t close his eyes at all.

 

All he wanted to do was to hold his friend again whom he had missed so dearly, more than he ever imagined he could. But he didn’t because it just didn’t seem right. He’d imagined being reunited with Noctis so many times, had planned everything he wanted to say more detailed than anything before. Instead of saying those things he remained silent, only looking at his friend as he was getting out of the car. Despite this, he couldn’t fully hide his excitement and was now thinking about whether it had been appropriate or not. After all, his friend hadn’t really come back. The person he was now barely resembled the Noctis he once knew, not only appearance-wise. The way he spoke, the way he walked, it all reminded him of a true king. Prompto knew that he should be glad about this because surely he had now gained the strength to restore the light and bring back life for so many people but somehow he couldn’t. It scared him and overwhelmed him with such an immense speed that he’d bolted out of the diner faster than his mind caught up with his already running feet.

 

That was how he found himself in this spot, contemplating on how to deal with this. He could cry, sure, but that wouldn’t help anybody. He was supposed to stand at Noctis’ side no matter what, to give his own life for his in a heartbeat. That was what he’d promised so long ago, never once doubting that decision.

 

Even now he didn’t. He’d still give his life if it meant Noctis got to live instead but he also knew that he wouldn’t get the chance to because of some prophecy that had apparently decided to just take his life away now without any chance of gaining it back. Selfish was probably a good word to describe his current thoughts because if the sun wasn’t going to ever return then hundreds, maybe even thousands of people would eventually die. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to get up and return to his friends, apologize for his behavior and helping them figure out how to proceed now.

 

His thoughts had pulled him in so deep that he didn’t hear the steps approaching the platform until he heard the sound of heavy boots on the steps leading up to it.

 

He recognized the person that sat down next to him out of the corner of his eye, it was Noctis to his surprise. He didn’t really expect his friend to follow him after his dramatic outburst just a few minutes earlier but he should’ve known better. Even in the past it had always been Noctis who comforted him whenever he felt bad, no matter if it was just a bad grade or something else. He’d always seemed like he was able to read Prompto easily like an open book, seeing words where most other people only saw blank pages.

 

Prompto waited for him to say something, to make him feel bad for running out and disrespecting him like that, running away from the person that was going to save so many lives in a few hours. But he knew that Noctis wasn’t that kind of person, he’d never truly made Prompto feel bad about anything and every insult between them was playful and in a joking manner. This time though, he felt as if he could use some harsher words to pull his mind out of the fog it was in right now.

 

Noctis eventually decided to speak up, breaking the silence. “I’m sorry.”

 

“What do you mean you’re sorry? Why?” The apology from his friend caught Prompto totally off guard because why would he apologize?

 

“For leaving you guys alone for so long and for hurting you like that”, he then answered, looking down at his shoes, seemingly not wanting to meet Prompto’s eyes.

 

“You did what you had to do. You didn’t know what would happen when you touched the crystal, none of us did. It was all a trick and we fell for it.”

 

Noctis just sighed. “I ran right into Ardyn’s trap, he knew for sure otherwise he wouldn’t have let us get to the crystal at all.”

 

“It’s part of the prophecy, the gods chose you centuries ago. We would’ve been absolutely powerless against it even if he would’ve told us.” Prompto answered, looking at his friend who still wasn’t meeting his gaze. He didn’t know if he wanted him to, scared of seeing that cold, empty expression again.

 

“I guess so”, the other then said before adding, “Remember what I said about wanting to make the world a better place? About coming together as one nation?”

 

Prompto didn’t expect him to bring up this conversation again. It had been the last real conversation they had right after they rescued him in Zegnautus Keep. “Yeah, of course. What about it?”

 

“Promise me…” He began, tearing his gaze away from the ground he had been looking at and instead focusing on Prompto’s eyes now, “that when I’m gone you’ll do it. That you’ll give everyone the same chances, no matter who they are or where they come from. Just promise me that.”

 

Prompto didn’t know what to answer or how he should ever be able to fulfill this task. What was Noctis even thinking? He would never be worthy enough to take on such a big role, something that Noctis had always seen in his own future, his own destiny.

 

He tried to look away from the eyes staring into his own right now but it was almost impossible. The coldness from before was now replaced by the same warmth they always held, familiar and comforting. “I can’t promise you something I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep.”

 

“I don’t know anyone else I’d rather entrust this to. If not you, no one will.” Noctis then answered. He then stood up slowly, putting a hand on Prompto’s shoulder and giving it a soft squeeze. “Don’t stay up too long. Big day ahead of us.” With those words, he made his way back down the stairs and approached the caravan to settle down for the night, most likely.

 

He watched his friend disappear inside it and with that he was left alone with his thoughts once again who decided to start racing again. Prompto really wanted to make a promise, he felt like it was part of his duty after all but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Only with Noctis’ return did he begin to realize what a wreck he’d been the past ten years, hope being the only thing that kept him going. Despite the fact that nobody knew for sure when he’d return there had been no doubt that one day he would, once he’d gained enough power to defeat the darkness and bring back the light. Prompto, along with Gladio and Ignis, had heard it directly from Ardyn after all and even if he wasn’t the most sincere person there was he wouldn’t miss a chance to fight for power, to fight for the throne.

 

With Noctis dying the hope he’d been holding onto would die as well, leaving him with nothing. All these years he’d fought daemons and stayed alive for the small possibility of seeing him actually come back. He didn’t know what he was going to do once this was all over. The only thing he knew was that he’d stand by his friend’s side until the very last moment even if it meant not getting out of it alive himself. That was what he promised so long ago and that was the one promise he was absolutely sure he’d keep no matter what was expecting them.

 

He’d often wondered if all this was worth it, all this fighting to stay alive for such a small chance to get what he’d been waiting for but he always cut off the thought as soon as it entered his mind. Maybe there was still a small piece of him aching to prove his worthiness to Noctis, maybe it was more.

 

Prompto decided not to waste any more time with thinking about stuff that wasn’t going to matter in the morning. Their fate was settled and would remain unchanged even if he spent hours contemplating about maybe’s. He got up and walked over to the caravan as well, trying to follow his friend’s advice of trying to get some rest. Through the window of the diner he saw Gladio and Ignis still sitting at a table, deep in conversation and with their heads bowed down. The sight made him ache all over again. They knew Noctis even longer than he did, saw him grow up until now. He wasn’t the only one suffering and the realization made him feel a bit more at ease but also selfish at the same time. He should be sitting next to them right now, not all alone trying to escape his own thoughts whilst running straight into them.

 

With a sigh he tore his gaze away from the both of them and opened the door to the caravan as well. He was met with darkness and the only thing he could hear were soft breaths coming from one of the beds. _Alive. Breathing_ , he thought. The quiet, constant sounds made all this feel so real once again and erased his doubts of everything just being a terrible nightmare he’d wake up from eventually. After ten years of hoping to wake up he’d come to learn that it was most likely not going to happen.

 

Prompto took a few careful steps, cautious not to make any sound that would wake the other who seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Even though the situation didn’t exactly call for it, Prompto had to smile when he looked at him. He sat down on one of the bottom bunks that was left unoccupied, watching Noctis who was across from him. “Still as sleepy as ever, aren’t you?” he chuckled quietly. Just as he said those words, the blankets across from him stirred slightly but stopped shortly after, indicating that the other was still sleeping soundly. He breathed a sigh of relief and began to lay down as well with his back to the wall and his eyes never once leaving his friend. He wanted to keep him safe as long as he would somehow be able to.

 

The quiet breathing next to him reminded him of a lullaby, making his eyelids shut and gently lulling him to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you can also find me on [tumblr](https://solislucinus.tumblr.com)


	2. Eclipse

Darkness loomed over the broken city of Insomnia.

As soon as they passed the deserted checkpoint that led into the city, broken buildings and debris all around immediately greeted them. It was bizarre seeing Insomnia like this after everything that had happened. Even in the past ten years nobody dared to try and venture out here because it was simply too dangerous, even for professional hunters who hadn’t done anything else besides hunt daemons and beasts all their life.

Streets that were once filled with all kinds of people, some rushing to work, some just taking a walk, were now replaced by silence that made the atmosphere feel eerie. The ground was littered with cracks which made it uneven and shattered glass all over, most likely from windows that had belonged to houses that weren’t standing anymore. Every corner they turned seemed as if something would jump out behind it, attacking them relentlessly. Sometimes the silence was broken with sounds that none of them could identify which wasn’t a good thing at all because the last thing they needed right now were monsters that would make their journey harder than it already was.

Prompto, however, couldn’t have cared less about any daemons, beasts or whatever else was lurking in the dark streets if he was being honest. They came here to die – at this point they were all just buying time. He knew that the prophecy only required Noctis to sacrifice himself but he highly doubted that they’d make it out of this alive. Gladio, Ignis and him – they were supposed, no, ordered to protect him until the very end and follow him until the last step he’d take even if it would cost them their own lives.

A few years ago they used to joke about the whole ‘protecting the prince’ thing whilst they were on the road. Of course they’d always taken their duty serious and never let anything happen to him but there was still some room to tease him about it and then laugh it off after. This time though, none of them made light of the situation.

Prompto tried to make the whole thing feel a bit less painful, _tried_ being the keyword here. Daemons often crossed their path, some of them harder to take down than others and some of them entirely new to them. He didn’t let a fight go by without making some kind of comment about it, trying to make them sound as lighthearted and cheery like they used to be. The others immediately joined in, even Gladio who usually took every fight a bit more serious than the rest of them.

His true intention behind all the witty comments couldn’t be hidden though, no matter how hard he tried. The others felt it as well, the mixture between fear and unknowingness that seemed to take their breath away and replacing it with an intense pressure deep in their chests. Prompto had thought about this very moment for years and always swore that he would stand beside Noctis’ side whatever the situation once he came back would be.

He tried to give the impression that he was strong enough for this but deep inside he knew that with every step he took on the glass-littered ground he also came closer to the verge of breaking down entirely. He wasn’t ready for any of this. He wasn’t ready to lose his life, he wasn’t ready to let his friends lose theirs and most of all he wasn’t ready to let some stupid prophecy take away Noctis. That was how he always dealt with his problems, ever since he was a child – locking everything up inside some dark corner of his mind, throwing the key far away and never attempting to find it again. Opening up to someone was hard because if he wasn’t even remotely able to figure out what was going on inside his brain then _who else_ would?

In the end he did open up to someone – Noctis to be exact – but even this took him years upon years and whenever he thought back to the conversation they had he still felt the shiver that went through his whole body. He remembered that he felt better after finally talking to someone but he’d never in a million years thought that it would take such a huge amount of strength and confidence to do it.

With this in mind he kept the walls he’d built around him over the course of the past few years high and didn’t let them crumble down again. He was certain that they helped him survive those years so maybe they’d still help now, even with all his friends surrounding him again.

In another situation this would’ve made him feel safe and secure, having all of them around him, knowing that they were strong as a team. Right now it felt as if their bond could break as quickly as all the buildings around them did. A house couldn’t stand without its foundation after all.

They continued walking through the streets that, despite the darkness and daemons, were awfully familiar to them. They recognized a lot of the spots they used to visit together even if nobody said anything about it, the memory probably still being too fresh. As they went down the stairs into the subway station they encountered soldiers, most likely Magitek it looked like. Prompto never had an easy time fighting against them because he knew that they were closer to him than he thought. _It’s not real_ , he thought whilst aiming his gun at one of them. _They’re just robots_ , he made himself believe as he pulled the trigger _. Nothing more than a bunch of wires_ occupied his brain as he saw one of them sink to the ground, sparks flying around it one last time, the light inside its eyes dying out.

“Well, that was easier than expected,” Gladio said, making his sword disappear in the process and grinning at them.

“Let’s try not to waste too much time,” Noctis followed right after, already beginning to walk up the stairs on the other side again.

Prompto just sighed, following him upstairs. “But of course, your Highness." 

They were met with a view of the citadel as soon as they climbed the stairs back to the surface. It seemed to be lit up entirely inside which was weird considering the rest of the city was mostly without any electricity, save for the subway stations and some lamps scattered around.

Noctis’ steps seemed to become faster as they approached it. Prompto almost wished that he’d just turn back and admit to this all being a bad joke but of course it was all very real. He was suddenly hit by something like homesickness as they came closer to it. It reminded him of the day they left for their roadtrip, full of excitement about what was to come, never thinking that something like this could happen to them.

By now the gate was almost right in front of them, the only obstacle left being some kind of Behemoth. Taking it down was almost easy after every other daemon they’d fought so far and they were glad that this seemed to be the only thing keeping them from finally arriving at their destination. As soon as the fight was over, Noctis opened the gate, hesitating only for a single second. Prompto could see it in the way his fingers loosened their grip around the gate for a short moment, trembling slightly almost as if they weren’t willing to close around it. It gave Prompto a weird sense of security, familiarity even. His best friend was still there, somewhere inside the king he’d now become. Noctis’ hand was still trembling slighty beside him as he removed it from the metal and Prompto almost longed to reach out to it, holding it to make it stop shaking. Of course, there was no room for actions like these right now. There would never be.

 

***

 

It was Prompto’s hand now that trembled as he held out the photograph to Noctis.

There seemed to be whole tremors shaking his body and he desperately tried to make them stop. It was probably just the adrenaline from the fight they just had minutes ago, right?

The throne room was right in front of them, the only thing between being a heavy door. Noctis didn’t seem to be willing to enter it yet, instead telling them about his father and himself back when he was younger. Apparently, this place had always made him sad which Prompto could understand all too well now. He couldn’t imagine how Noctis managed to carry all this on his shoulders for so long whilst still managing to walk as tall as he did. The crown was heavy, too heavy to carry for his best friend at times, this he knew for sure.

“It’s perfect. Thank you. I’ll keep it with me.” Noctis said as he took the picture from Prompto’s shaking hands and looked at it, smiling fondly. It was the one with pretty much everyone they’d met on it. Looking at it felt the same as looking at a family picture. Even though Prompto had never known such a thing as family, the warmth he felt when looking at it made him sure that he knew what this feeling was.

He’d felt tears gathering at his eyes immediately as soon as Noctis asked him if he could take one of the photographs he’d taken with him. Up until this moment he felt as if he was doing a pretty good job of keeping his feelings to himself but right now he was sure that Noctis knew exactly how much he was struggling. They locked eyes for a short moment but that was enough for both of them to tell the other one more than words or drawn-out goodbyes could have. If the circumstances had been different Prompto would’ve reached out and held his friend close for sure but for now this had to be enough. If he’d do that now he knew that he’d break down as soon as he’d wrap his arms around him and he wanted to avoid that for the sake of all of them. The prophecy wasn’t interested in their feelings.

In another life, maybe.

 

***

 

Prompto fought tirelessly, the blurriness before his eyes making it hard to sense the movements of the daemons in front of him. He kepts miscalculating their attacks and felt sharp pain shooting through his nerves. Despite all this he was hesitant to use potions. He was never meant to live, he was meant to die at Noctis’ side if he had to, _die for him damn it,_ not seeing him walk up those stairs that would lead him straight to his own death without looking back.

He kept fighting, the only thing inside his mind being Noctis’ last words. He had to walk tall, if not for himself then for his friend and that meant that this was not the time to give up.

As he looked over at Gladio and Ignis he saw them fighting against the daemons as well with more difficulty as time passed. They fought in silence, the only sound being their weapons hitting their target with a loud metal sound. No words or commands accompanied their moves.

Suddenly, the daemons vanished as if they’d never been there in the first place. The darkness above them was slowly being replaced by the purple hues of an oncoming sunrise, the light illuminating everything around them in a way they hadn’t dared to think about for so long.

Instead of looking up at the sky, Prompto sank to the ground, finally breaking down after all this time of being strong for others. The only noise he was able to make were quiet sounds that seemed to choke him and made it harder to breathe. All he thought about in that moment was the question if it all had really been worth it. If the gods were happy seeing them, seeing him like this. He wanted to scream and to cry all at once but most of all he wanted to go back into the throne room to reassure himself that Noctis was dead for real and that this wasn’t just another nightmare.

He removed one of his arms in front of his face and wanted to wipe the tears running down his cheeks away before something caught his eye. There was something written on the underside of his right arm between the scratches all over it. The message was written in handwriting he recognized immediately.

_“Still with you”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The main part of the story will start in the next chapter which is why this one seemed a bit 'slow' imo but I hope it was okay anyway! :)


	3. Ink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since school has started again for me I don't know if I'll be able to update this story as frequently as I did, I'm planning to update it twice a week and I'll try to stick to it.
> 
> This chapter is my favorite so far because we're finally getting into the main plot :) But let me know what you think!

_“Still with you”_

Prompto blinked and blinked again, waiting for the message to disappear in an almost daring fashion. Anxiety still took over his whole body whenever he looked at it even though he’d been staring at it for the entire time they walked back to Hammerhead.

After he’d seen it for the first time he’d been absolutely paralyzed, the quiet sobs that had escaped him up until that moment had stopped completely along with his ability to move even a single muscle.

He really tried to hide it from Gladio and Ignis but of course it wasn’t as easy as that. Ignis had lost his sight long ago but his other senses appeared to be better than ever which made him notice that something was wrong immediately. He’d always been able to read every person they’d come across easily and that hadn’t changed a bit.

Gladio presumably thought that the reason behind Prompto holding his arm and staring at it was an injury which was why he was at his side instantly after Prompto failed to respond to his question if everyone was okay after the fight against the daemons they’d just had. He demanded to see his arm and proceeded to practically pull it away from Prompto’s iron grip. Obviously, he was more or less powerless against the shield and decided to just get it over with.

All of them were at an utter loss for words at first.

Ignis wanted to know what exactly it looked like and if _they were_ _absolutely certain that it was Noctis’ handwriting_ whilst Gladio tried to wipe the message off which, unsurprisingly, didn’t work. Prompto’s skin around it was red and irritated due to the attempts to get the writing (ink? He still didn’t know) off of it. The multiple scars and smudges of blood around it didn’t help with that either.

No matter what they did, the message stayed.

He noticed that he’d been staring at it again through his entire thought process. The letters were written in black and looked as if they were some kind of tattoo. He compared the way the black ink on his arm looked with the barcode tattoo on his wrist and sure enough they looked the same. The only difference was that the message was written in letters that looked as if someone hurried to scrawl them across somewhere. They didn’t look neat at all but were still easily legible if someone paid attention to them.

Prompto had seen this exact handwriting lots of times. He spent his entire high school years with the very person associated to it after all. He’d always expected someone like Noctis to write neatly, maybe almost calligraphic but that was not the case. Instead, his handwriting had always been hurried and he could probably fill a whole book with all the times teachers – and Ignis - had complained about it being too messy.

The memory almost made him smile a bit. He felt a little tug at the corners of his mouth but it seemed like such an out of place emotion to have right now. His best friend just died – sacrificing himself for so many people in the process. An incredibly selfless act he still couldn’t grasp, still couldn’t believe to be real.

Noctis almost felt closer whenever he looked at the message occupying his arm. Almost like he left a little part of him behind for Prompto to hold onto.

He shook his head. His friend was dead and he had to come to terms with this, whether he liked it or not. Again, the feeling of selfishness invaded him. He could hear everyone else talking, laughing and screaming of joy outside, enjoying the daylight that had miraculously been brought back upon them whilst he sat inside the caravan by himself, the rays of sunshine stretching across the room, making the black letters stand out even more than they did when he first looked at them during the sunrise.

It was hard to accept that someone was gone when they seemed to be right next to you.

Suddenly, he became aware of the tiredness he was feeling. His whole body was aching due to all the walking, running and fighting he did and his brain wasn’t looking any better. His thoughts seemed to be repeating Noctis’ name over and over again, making him unable to think of anything else than the letters etched into his arm and the shy hope of him maybe not being entirely _gone_ but it all felt like the weak flame of a starting fire – reduced to nothing more than smoke in seconds.

He fell asleep with the sun tickling his face and Noctis’ pillow gripped tight between his fingers, filling out the spaces between them that felt too empty in that moment.

 

***

 

When he woke up, the message was gone.

He didn’t even remember falling asleep, just that he’d gotten extremely tired one moment – that was all. Apparently, he’d been more exhausted than he thought because the sunrays that had been shining into the window of the caravan were now gone and instead replaced with the sunset. He must have been sleeping for hours.

Maybe he should’ve been worrying about the possibility of this sunrise being the last one he would see and that the sun wasn’t going to rise again but instead the message that had vanished over the course of his hours spent sleeping was the only thing he cared about right now.

He looked at his arm from all angles, even at his left one because _maybe it was able to transfer somehow_ but there was absolutely nothing. No messily scribbled letters, no familiar handwriting – all gone. The black ink was replaced by his pale, freckled skin again.

This couldn’t be. Even the gods wouldn’t make a cruel joke like this, would they?

All the hope he had up until now disappeared and left him feeling utterly empty once again. He hated this, all of it. He hated that he had to deal with this, he hated that he was feeling weak like this again but most of all he hated that there wasn’t anyone who would listen to him right now. That person was gone forever and he couldn’t change that if he tried.

He decided that he needed to talk to someone – preferably Ignis or Gladio because they’d listen to him for sure and wouldn’t call him crazy or tell him that he was hallucinating because they’d been there when it happened. With this in mind, he went out of the caravan and into the diner where he suspected them to be at this time. As he entered it he saw Ignis standing behind the counter and Gladio sitting at the bar. They weren’t talking to each other, Ignis appeared to be occupied at the stove and Gladio was staring at the top of the bar, looking as if he was deep in thought. Prompto took a deep breath.

“It’s gone.”

Ignis turned around and looked in his direction. “What’s gone?”

“The message or whatever that was. It’s not on my arm anymore! It’s just… gone!” He almost sounded hysteric now but he couldn’t stop the fear in his voice.

“What do you mean it’s gone? Did you do anything to it?” Gladio asked, staring at his arm that was empty now as if he had a hard time believing it at first.

“No, I swear I didn’t do anything! I fell asleep and when I woke up it wasn’t there anymore!” Prompto replied, trying to keep his voice down.

Gladio approached him, gesturing to his arm and Prompto held it out to him. The shield looked at it and he seemed to not be able to believe it either.

“There must be a reason behind all this. The gods or whoever else did this wouldn’t send out a message like this without it being important or useful to us. They might have wanted to tell us something.” Ignis tried to argue.

Prompto was beginning to feel overwhelmed from all the things happening around him right now. The uncertainty of the situation almost made him feel dizzy and unable to sort through his disorienting thoughts. “It sure was important to me! It was Noctis’ handwriting for gods sake! It was a message from _him_ and not from some god!” He replied, snatching his arm out of Gladios grip.

“Instead of losing our minds we should try to understand what Noctis was – or is – trying to tell us. Iggy’s right.” Gladio said, trying to keep calm.

Ignis sighed and pushed his glasses up before speaking. “I actually heard of things like these happening but I never suspected them to be real.”

Prompto just stared at him in disbelief. “What do you mean?”

“I suppose _happening_ is the wrong word – it’s actually more like an old tale I read about years ago,” he stopped before continuing, hesitating for a second. “A long time ago, back when Lucis was just founded it was widely believed that something like soulmates existed – two people that were chosen for each other by the gods. As much as I know it was quite rare for such a case to happen due to the fact that those people had to be chosen by the gods themselves as I mentioned before which was why it eventually stopped being popular. Even back then lots of people believed it to be nothing more than a fairytale as they had never heard of it happening.”

Gladio interrupted him. “And what does an old soulmate-fairytale have to do with the whole message thing?”

“I was about to explain that,” Ignis replied and continued, “true soulmates had the ability to send messages to each other. Whatever one of them wrote somewhere on their skin would appear on the same spot of the other person’s body. The messages however didn’t last forever, they only stayed for a few hours and then disappeared again. During those hours the message was impossible to remove from the skin though, like a tattoo I guess.”

Prompto listened to Ignis telling the story quietly, willing his thoughts to be silent for once as well. After his friend finished, he couldn’t help but gasp in utter shock. He didn’t know what to make of this and he also didn’t know if he should or even if he could believe it. There were so many tales revolving around Lucis, ones that almost everyone knew and also ones that barely anyone ever heard of among them. Maybe this was one of them too – simply a tale being used to entertain young children, no different from the numerous fairytales in books.

“What do you mean soulmates? I never heard of something like that except in some cheesy romance novels.” Gladio asked, looking at Ignis and then let his gaze travel over Prompto’s arm.

“I’m not saying it’s true – I couldn’t see the writing myself after all. I’m just saying that we should consider it. With everything that has happened it wouldn’t be absolutely unthinkable.” Ignis replied, sounding quite sure of himself which gave Prompto the courage to speak up.

“I mean… it all kinda fits. The message, us not being able to get it off me and the whole disappearing thing. But why would the gods choose us for each other and then make Noctis sacrifice himself right before my eyes? It doesn’t make sense to me.” His voice was shaking slightly towards the end and he felt the fingertips that were stroking lightly over the spot the message had been getting cold.

Ignis sighed. “To be honest I don’t fully understand this part either. The catch about this whole story is that for the bond to actually work both of the people must be alive, otherwise the message won’t appear.”

“Wait – you’re saying Noctis might not be dead?”

“We saw him walk into the citadel right before our eyes, Iggy. I’m sorry but I highly doubt that.” Gladio intervened, looking at Prompto again with an apologetic look in his eyes. The pity made him feel nauseous.

“Only one way to find out. Gladio, Prompto, do any of you have a pen?”

Prompto looked around and saw some pens lying on one of the tables. He walked over and grabbed one of them, holding it up to the others.

“So I just… write something? Does it have to be in the same spot?” He asked.

“Write it in the same spot the other message appeared in just to be sure. There’s time for experiments later, for now we should find out if it works or not.” Ignis said, looking over in his direction.

Prompto took a deep breath and uncapped the pen. The feeling inside him right now felt weirdly similar to the one he’d had when he saw Noctis walk up the stairs of the citadel into what he thought would be his certain death. Scared of what was to come, the fear wiping away every last bit of hope he’d dared to have up until that point. Right now, there was also the magnetic pull of curiosity mixed in, making him want to set the pen down to his skin.

He thought about what he was going to write for a long time, too long probably. Maybe this would be his last and only chance to ever communicate with Noctis again – given that it wasn’t just a tale. In the end, he decided on the first thing that had come into his mind, the words he stringed together still painfully familiar.

 

“ _Ever at your side”_


	4. Nova

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to everyone who's been reading this so far! Todays chapter is a bit longer :)

“I don’t think this is working”

Prompto had been staring at the writing on his arm for a good few minutes now along with Gladio who had his eyes practically glued onto it as well. Ignis had sat down next to them by now too, constantly asking whether there were any changes to the current situation.

Outside, the sunset had been replaced by the night sky. The view was familiar, the only difference was that now there were stars visible, bright little dots that were strewn out across the sky like small specks of white paint upon a black canvas. It was calming but only to a certain extent. There was the certainty of a sunrise to come but at the same time each star felt like a brightly lit up dagger that pierced the blonds chest as soon as he lifted his head to look up. He couldn’t quite put his finger on what that feeling was, all he knew was that it made his chest ache and feel like it was being squeezed together tightly.

Was Noctis somewhere up there? Would he hear him if he called out to him or would his words only be another part of the darkness in the sky? Egotistic as it might be, he hoped that he was still here on earth with him instead of being among the stars.

“You gotta be a little patient here. We all know he’s always been bad at texting back.” Gladio tried to joke but was only met with a glare Prompto sent him.

“I’m glad this is so funny to you but it isn’t for me!”

Ignis decided to interrupt the small argument that was threatening to start. “I agree that we shouldn’t be joking about this but Gladio’s right, Prompto. We don’t know where he. Maybe he’s not capable of answering you right now or maybe he hasn’t seen it yet.”

Usually Ignis’ words were incredibly calming and reassuring, filled with wisdom yet never spoken in a manner that would overwhelm Prompto. He’d learned this over the course of the last few years and realized that he could always rely on his friend to listen.

It had been a dark time for all of them but it was no secret that Prompto struggled with Noctis’ disappearance the most. Neither Ignis nor Gladio had ever asked questions as to why he was having such a hard time with it and he was so very glad about that. He didn’t even know the answer to that himself and even though there had barely ever been a minute that passed without the thought of _Noctis_ somewhere in the back of his mind he’d always kind of shoved everything feelings-related away from him, protecting himself from something that had a mind of its own anyway and tore right through the high walls he’d built.

Right now, the calming effect of Ignis’ words was non-existent and instead they increased Prompto’s agitation. His nerves felt like the strings of a violin, threatening to snap if they were pulled even the slightest bit.

“Yeah and maybe this is nothing more than some stupid fairytale after all! _Maybe_ he’s just gone for real this time!” The volume of his voice rose with each word he spoke and along with it the regret he felt as soon as they left him. He knew that he should at least try to have some faith but thinking straight was hard right now. His brain seemed to have lost all ability needed to form any sort of rational thought and replaced it with the ghost of deep blue eyes and black hair.

Suddenly he felt tears beginning to escape his eyes and he bolted out of the entrance of the diner, not bothering to look back. He heard Gladio shout a few words after him but he guessed that it probably wasn’t something particularly uplifting or helpful anyway but they only made the regret he already felt even stronger. He knew they’d only meant well and he rejected every help they offered him but at the moment it was just too much. Once he was outside he felt the cool night air hit his face, drawing his attention to the coldness of his cheeks, a result of fresh tears running down upon them.

He didn’t want anyone to see him like this. In that moment he felt utterly vulnerable and weak and he wondered how his legs managed to carry him still. Besides, he’d already made a big enough scene inside the diner anyways and just hoped that the fellow hunters and citizens inside it were just going to pretend as if it had never happened. If he got one more worried look he might just scream.

He decided to go back into the caravan again because it was the only place he’d be guaranteed to be alone in, slamming the door and falling right onto the bed after he locked it.

Only after he’d already wrapped the blanket tightly around himself he realized that it wasn’t actually his own blanket or even his own bed for that matter. Out of every mattress he could’ve chosen _of course_ he’d blindly fallen onto what had been Noctis’ bed back when he stayed the night. Prompto wanted to get up, he really did but it was as if an invisible force held him back from doing just that. So he did the only logical thing he could think of and pulled the blanket even tighter around himself, burying his face into the pillow and staining it with the tears still remaining on his cheeks. The familiar scent around him served as a calming presence, making breathing deeply a little bit easier as the minutes passed and eventually the short, ragged breaths turned into long, controlled ones that made him feel as if his lungs were finally filling up with air again, stopping the unavoidable fear of suffocating.

For a short moment he lifted his head to get more of the air he was craving, his eyes immediately catching onto the writing still on his arm. Despite the darkness that surrounded him he could still make out every single letter of it thanks to the weak light of the stars outside. _Is he looking at it right now too?_ He wondered, freeing his other hand from its spot under the blanket, wiped the remaining wetness underneath his eyes away and lightly ran his fingertips over the ink on his arm. The letters smudged slightly due the small wet spots still clinging to them. Upon realizing this he stopped, pulling the blanket over his head again instead, deciding to just let it be.

He whimpered quietly, muttering silent prayers to whoever was listening.

Eventually he began to fall asleep with his knees pulled against his chest and face still buried in the pillow. His fingers gripped it the same way they had last night, giving him what little security he was able to have right now and something to hold onto.

 

***

 

As the first rays of sunshine began to filter into the small room of the caravan, Prompto woke up.

He’d been sleeping soundly although he’d been anything but calm before he’d finally fallen asleep. There were no signs of him thrashing around during the night, no thrown off pillows and no sheets wrapped around his limbs.

The pillow he’d been holding onto was still in his grip, his fingers digging into it. Somehow it made him feel better and safer knowing that he’d never let go of it during the night even if it probably was a rather childish thing to do but he’d gladly risk that if it could bring him a small sense of comfort that was so rare for him to find.

By now he was fully awake for the most part and realized that he’d spent the night in his normal clothes he wore during the day and it was getting more uncomfortable by the minute. Jeans just weren’t the comfiest sleepwear out there. A shower seemed like an incredibly good idea right now even though he wasn’t particularly fond of getting out of bed just yet, no matter how uncomfortable it might be. Sighing, he made his way over to the shower anyways since he knew that either Gladio or Ignis would drag him outside eventually, especially after everything that had happened the day before. He still owed them a long overdue apology which he promised himself to do right after he’d freshened up a bit because his eyes were most likely still a little red and puffy.

The hot water running down his back was a huge relief to his sore muscles and he felt more relaxed immediately. He closed his eyes and got lost in his thoughts for a bit, thinking about too much and yet not enough all at the same time.

After a while (minutes? Hours? He couldn’t tell) he turned off the water and stepped out, the cool air making him shiver a bit. For a short moment he contemplated if it would be acceptable for him to stay under the hot water for just a little longer but he guessed that other people would like to shower as well which meant that he couldn’t use up all the water. So instead of giving in to this, he grabbed one of the towels on the rack and began to dry off the small droplets of water clinging to his body.

He was almost done getting dressed and was in the middle of pulling his shirt over his head when he looked into the mirror and saw something that definitely hadn’t been there the night before.

On the back of his left hand was a new written message in the same familiar handwriting as before, the only difference now being the placement of it. The letters looked perfectly neat, well, as neat as a hastily scribbled message could be but still. The blond stretched his arm out and tilted his hand a bit so he could read what was on it.

_‘Don’t cry, I’m here’_

The meaning of those words hit him right in the chest, making the ache inside of it reappear at the speed of sound only this time in an ever higher intensity, a dulling pain he couldn’t fix with any bandages or medication he owned.

How would he possibly know that he’d cried? Nobody had seen except for a few hunters and even they hadn’t caught more than a glimpse of Prompto due to him disappearing so fast. The only way he could know was if he had been here with him for a short moment during last night but he was sure that he’d been alone and he was also sure that it was simply impossible. There was still no confirmation of Noctis being alive for real except for the messages he left but even they served as just a possibility and as another maybe. He didn’t want to get his hopes up because worst case he’d end up getting disappointed once more. Ignis told him that the whole soulmate thing wouldn’t work if one of them was dead but even if he wasn’t fully dead that didn’t automatically mean that he was alive and well. It wouldn’t make sense for the gods to take responsibility for his death and then just let him come back to Lucis as if nothing had happened and as if all those years spent in darkness were just a nightmare the whole population dreamed of.

The whole _not getting his hopes up_ was really hard to follow when such a big piece of nothing but _hope_ stared him right in the face as he looked at his trembling hand. There had to be more to this. He didn’t know how but somehow it must’ve been possible for Noctis to know about him crying and all.

Still in disbelief, he rubbed over the writing, scared that it would disappear but also needing to know if it was real. Sure enough it stayed just as stubbornly as it had last time, confirming the bond between them once again.

He couldn’t quite stop the smile pulling at the corners of his mouth as he continued to run his fingers across his skin.

 

***

 

As soon as he stepped outside again he was met with Gladio who seemed to be cleaning his sword next to one of the platform they still had at Hammerhead. The platforms, fences and lamps weren’t necessary anymore since theoretically they had nothing to fear but he guessed it had just become a habit. There were no more daemons but there were still other beasts out there that could be a threat to the citizens and so Hammerhead looked as if it was going to serve as some kind of outpost for hunters for quite some time since they’d changed a lot during the years that had passed.

Gladio apparently decided to ignore him at first. _Fair enough_ , Prompto thought. Yesterday he’d ignored him as well after all and Gladio had always had a tendency to hold grudges a bit longer than absolutely necessary.

He wondered where Ignis was since he should be here too for what Prompto was about to tell.

“Gladio? Uh, do you mind coming with me for a second?”

Prompto assumed that Ignis was most likely cooking inside the diner again and it would probably be easier to talk to them there since normally there weren’t a lot of people there in the morning and they could talk without having to worry about anyone overhearing them. Rumours about Noctis _possibly being alive_ should definitely be avoided otherwise all hell would break loose and whole Lucis would know it in seconds.

“I’m busy right now as you can see.” The shield replied, polishing his sword for what must’ve been at least the hundredth time. It was obvious that he was still mad because he didn’t even turn around to look at the blond.

Prompto sighed and decided that he had to change his tactics because otherwise he would be standing here for hours. With this in mind he stepped closer and held his hand right in Gladio’s face who looked at him with squinted eyes now.

“Well and as _you_ can see theres something important we should probably talk about.”

Prompto seemed to have succeeded in getting his attention since Gladio immediately got up, the sword behind him quickly forgotten. “We should let Iggy know about this.” He said.

“That’s what I wanted to do anyway. I just didn’t want to explain everything twice.”

They arrived at the diner and sure enough Ignis was standing behind the counter, mixing something inside a bowl with the usual concentrated look occupying his face.

“Iggy, I gotta talk to you. Gladio’s here too.”

Ignis turned around, looking at Prompto questioningly and nodding in a way that said _go on._

“Uhm, so, first of all I’m really sorry for making such a scene yesterday. I don’t know what was wrong with me and I just…”

Before he’d finished his apology, Ignis interrupted him. “It’s okay. You were clearly overwhelmed which is understandable. We know that you struggle a lot. I’d just be grateful if you could tell us sooner next time instead of running away.”

Prompto didn’t expect Ignis to forgive him so easily. Even Gladio looked a lot calmer now than before after hearing his response. At the same time, he wasn’t surprised at all because Ignis had always seemed to know more than any of them did especially regarding feelings and such. He just had a way of reading people as if they were an open book. Even Prompto who was rather closed off at times couldn’t hide from him. Ignis probably knew, or had always known, more about his feelings for Noctis than he himself did. The thought intimidated him a bit.

“Thanks for… understanding. Really, I appreciate it.” He stuttered, still not knowing how to react.

Silence filled the air between them and it served as a reminder for the reason Prompto had brought them all here.

“There’s another message and I thought I should let you know.” He quickly said.

Ignis immediately put the bowl down and walked over to where Gladio and him were still standing. “What does it say?”

Before Prompto got the chance to answer, Gladio did it for him and read the message out loud for Ignis to hear.

“How does he know that you were crying? Does you guys also have telepathic powers now? Gladio asked confused once he realized what the writing meant.

“I don’t know! That’s what I was wondering too! I didn’t tell… well, write anything about it to him.” Prompto replied, now looking at Ignis.

“It might be because of the bond you are sharing. It’s actually quite common amongst soulmates to have such a bond but the strength of the bonds between two people can vary. Some have a stong one and there are also soulmates who barely share one.” Ignis said.

“Okay, wait a minute. I knew there was something like a soulmate-bond thing but how could he know the fact that I’ve been crying?”

Ignis looked up at him again. “The stronger the bond, the stronger is the connection between two soulmates. He seems to be able to know what you’re feeling at any given moment or most of the time at least.”

“So basically what you’re trying to say is that we share a strong bond and because of that he knows what I’m feeling without me having to tell him?” The blond asked, not being able to believe what he’d just been told.

“Yes, I assume that’s the case here.”

Gladio chuckled quietly in the background, holding one of his hands in front of his mouth as if trying to avoid laughing. “A strong bond, eh?” He said teasingly, patting Prompto’s shoulder.

Next to him, Ignis smirked.

Prompto couldn’t stop the blush creeping onto his cheeks, tinting them red.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *puts the smallest hint of fluff at the end because i want them to be happy already*


	5. Alone Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super cliche title, I know (but it's actually from one of my favorite songs!) I hope everyone had a nice weekend! And I also hope you'll enjoy this chapter :)

Prompto was sleeping soundly, holding onto his left hand even whilst resting.

The improved quality of his sleep was probably thanks to the blankets that were, once again, wrapped around him. It had become his new sleeping habit – curling up as tightly as possible, tucking the pillow underneath his head, hugging it against his chest and then pulling the thick, warm blankets over his head. For others this might have looked a little strange, seeing a grown man sleep that way. Prompto didn’t care about what others would think about seeing him getting comfy and all curled up underneath Noctis’ sheets because it made him feel safe, an amount of security he’d missed for so long. Of course, he also felt somehow closer to Noctis because his scent still lingered although there were only the slightest traces left by now.

Prompto was sure that once it would be entirely gone he’d have a harder time falling asleep again. But there was also the whole soulmate thing that included the bond Ignis had spoken of as well and even though he hadn’t fully figured out what it was or how it worked exactly yet, he hoped that within time he could feel closer to him anyway, without having to depend on some blankets or pillows.

He just wished he could have the real thing. The real, breathing Noctis with his constant complaints about anything vegetable-related and his love for naps. At this point, he’d even give everything to get that attitude back that he’d sometimes had, especially when he was either hungry, tired or when he had to admit that he did something wrong he’d been overly confident about.

Prompto never in a million years thought that he’d actually miss him like this. He’d never really lost anyone before. It was natural for someone to miss a person they’d lost. To grieve and to miss all the good times with them, all the laughter and all the positive memories they were responsible for.

Prompto always guessed that when someone was gone he would miss the good things. The big things. The memories that stood out the most, maybe even some regrets or something he wished he would’ve done differently.

He never knew that he would really miss him in this way. Sure he thought of the moment he’d finally approached Noctis back in high school and they became friends. He also thought of the road trip, of the first time they’d seen Altissia and of visiting the Assassins festival with him. Those were the big things, the memories they made that everyone knew of because everyone got to see them.

It took him losing Noctis to realize that there was so much more to missing someone. Those memories are great, sure. He wouldn’t want to miss them and he wouldn’t trade them for anything. But those memories aren’t a person. They aren’t what he _really_ missed.

What he didn’t expect to miss were all the little things that made Noctis… well, _Noctis_. The quiet nights spent inside his apartment filled with smiles and teasing comments, watching the world go by outside whilst they were caught up in their own little corner of the universe.

Gaming on the couch, wrapped in fluffly blankets and eating the unhealthiest snacks they managed to sneak in. Daring to lay his head down onto Noctis’ shoulder for the first time and having him rest his own head on top of Prompto’s without even looking at him in a weird way. Losing sleep due to the snoring of his friend during the first nights he’d spent at his apartment, only for it to become some sort of lullaby to him later without him ever realizing it until it was gone and silence was the only thing rocking him asleep again. Sitting down next to him at school in the morning with an over exaggerated moan of _‘I’m tired!’_ only to have Noctis shoot him the slightest smile in response, ruffling his hair whenever Prompt fell asleep in class to let him know that it was over. The way his eyes crinkled the tiniest bit when he smiled one of his rare smiles that had the power to light up a whole city, Prompto was sure. He even missed dumb little details such as having to lend the small mirror he carried around to Noctis because he was _sure that his hair was sticking up again at the back_ and _Prompto you would just tell me it’s fine anyway even if it looked like a huge Chocobo nest!_

For him, the big memories that everyone could see were like photographs. Every person could look at them and they’d get a clear picture of what was to see. They had definitely happened, set in stone, lived not by only Prompto and Noctis themselves but by other people too.

The small things though, those were the memories they’d made for themselves. Some of them, Prompto even made just for himself to keep safe. He was always scared of them fading. That one day, he’d wake up and another little snippet of a memory would have left him.

He didn’t want to be left with just the idea of who Noctis had been or who he was. He wanted so much more.

More memories, more photographs to show everybody who would want to look, more stupid little things to remember and maybe even some things that nobody but him would even notice. One day, he wanted to be able to remember how running his fingers through black hair had felt like. How completely losing himself in deep blue eyes had felt like. Would it be scary? Would it be like drowning? Would there be the same weight pressed against his chest, squeezing it together like when he dove too deep into the ocean once? Or would it be calm like watching him fish with the water quietly splashing next to him?

He didn’t want to have to worry about having to chase after his scent in the future just to have some small thing he could hold onto even though it would fade eventually. He wanted _Noctis_ to surround him without having to chase after him.

To have him here, forever, until the end of the universe, maybe even a little further because who knew where the universe ended anyways.

Feelings had always scared Prompto. As long as he could remember he hid behind a tall wall consisting of smiles and jokes, happiness and sunshine. Usually no one bothered breaking down something that looked so immaculate and unblemished. One person though, one person had. Noctis had broken the wall down so easily as if it wasn’t more than weak paper he just had to cut through, never believing the sturdiness it radiated.

Usually, Prompto didn’t bother thinking about his feelings either. But maybe this time he’d already done it and had long ago passed the point of no return.

He wasn’t sure what this feeling was, he didn’t know if it was love. But whatever it was, he hoped it would stay.

 

***

 

In the middle of the night, Prompto startled awake. He was sweating slightly due to him being completely wrapped up in his blankets, curled up in a tight little ball underneath them.

He couldn’t remember having a nightmare or anything like that which would cause him to suddenly wake up like this. Actually, he’d been sleeping quite well despite the circumstances that were going on right now.

Out of habit he looked at both his arms and hands, almost expecting to see something new written on them. Looking at them whenever he got the chance was kind of a reflex by now even though he knew that Noctis and him hadn’t exchanged a lot of messages. He hadn’t replied to his last message yet because he was caught up in his own mind once again, trying to figure out how he could have known of Prompto’s crying the night before.

Thanks to Ignis, this mystery had been solved.

Though whole bond-thing left him with questions. What kind of emotions was Noctis able to receive from him? Could he feel all of them or only the really extreme, clear ones? And most importantly: Why hadn’t Prompto been able to connect to Noctis’ emotions like that yet?

Sometimes he still doubted that his friend was alive and somewhat well because it just seemed far too bizarre to believe. He had to fulfill a prophecy, sacrifice him for the gods and all the people. Prompto, along with Gladio and Ignis, they’d all seen him walk up those stairs for the last time. They had all heard what they’d thought were his final goodbyes, a forced farewell said too soon and too quick, like a lightning bolt striking through the endless darkness they’d lived it.

With evidence of Noctis living literally right on his hands having thoughts like these was incredibly hard. The possibility of it all being a product of his broken imagination was hurtful and terrifying, sure. But there was also a possibility, no, a good chance that he was in fact alive right now. The only thing left now was to actually find him or at least gather information about his current whereabouts, which was easier said than done because Prompto had no idea where he might be.

Suddenly he got an idea. He didn’t know if this was going to work or if Noctis would respond. Maybe he was being watched, captured or something and wasn’t allowed to give out information about himself or his location. But it wouldn’t hurt to try, right?

Prompto grabbed the pen from beside his bed where it always rested since he’d received the first message. He uncapped it and carefully started writing onto his arm in the same spot as before, trying to make the letters as clear as possible.

_‘Where are you?’_

He kept the message fairly short because he still didn’t know a lot about soulmates and how exactly the communication worked. Then he waited, already feeling impatience bubbling up inside him even though hardly a minute had passed since he set the pen down onto the floor again.

This time Noctis seemed to have received it immediately and Prompto felt a warm, tingling sensation run up his other arm, making it feel as if he was holding it right over a fire yet, feeling the warmth yet not getting dangerously close to the flames.

‘ _Don’t know. Too dark.’_

Prompto stared at the message, reading it over and over again to make sure he wasn’t misunderstanding it. What did he mean by too dark? He felt a shiver run down his spine. If it was too dark then that definitely meant Noctis was somewhere inside and most likely held against his will because it didn’t look like he was particularly happy or comfortable with his current situation. Did he even know he was alive? Maybe he thought this was the… afterlife, or whatever.

All he knew was that he had to look for him even if he had to risk his own life again.

He was still none the wiser when it came to his friends location though which made just running outside and randomly start searching a rather reckless decision but Prompto had never been known for being the most careful of individuals, so he went outside and began to make his way to the very place everything began and ended.

Insomnia.

 

***

 

Prompto regretted not bringing Gladio and Ignis along as soon as he walked through the checkpoint of the crown city and already saw the top of the citadel in the distance. He wanted to do this alone, something inside him making him feel as if no one else was supposed to witness whatever was to come.

They wouldn’t have let him go all by himself, no doubt about it. Knowing them, especially Ignis, they’d most likely insisted on accompanying Prompto themselves. He knew that this was probably among the dumber, less thought-through things he’d done in life so far but something inside him screamed at him that this was were he was supposed to be, even if he had to walk this way alone. The closer he came to the citadel, the louder the voice inside him got, piercing through his brain, making thinking straight an almost impossible task to do once again. He was so very scared of what was going to happen and he couldn’t hide it no matter how hard he tried to stay strong for himself and for his friend whom he was supposed to rescue, given that it wasn’t too late.

There were two possible outcomes to this; he either brought Noctis back alive or he didn’t. Both of those options seemed unrealistic to him, one for being too good to be true and seeming like a mere product of his wishful thinking and the other one for being too cruel to live through once again.

The way to the citadel seemed so much longer than it had been last time. Back when Noctis was with them it seemed like the time they had left was cut far too short to really _say_ anything anymore, no room for meaningful goodbyes, the only thing remaining being empty smiles accompanied by tired steps that seemed to be too quick for all the heaviness they carried. They all had enough to do with simply trying to keep themselves alive long enough to do what they were supposed to, fulfilling the prophecy. That hadn’t been the best time to start any deep, meaningful conversations that no one had the strength to continue. Sometimes even though there’s a will there’s still no way. Prompto had learned this in that very night.

This time, Prompto was aware of the fact that he was quick on his feet. He didn’t want to waste any precious time looking around. He saw enough as it was. Destroyed buildings, shattered glass. Remainders that let painful memories come alive. They hadn’t started rebuilding yet, it was still too soon for starting reconstructing a huge city like Insomnia. Plans had to be made first and material had to be gathered as everything they needed had become a rarity.

By now he could see the citadel before him. He remembered it being incredibly intimidated the first time he’d been here. Tall, shiny and guarded. The effect was partly lost due to its state of destruction but most of it was still standing as far as he could see from here.

Walking up the stairs made his chest ache and his heart beat as twice as fast. This was the way Noctis had walked the last time he’d seen him. The last time they’d spoken to each other. A quiet voice in the back of his mind hoped that he wouldn’t have to descend the same stairs alone later.

Suddenly, a feeling of pure anxiety overwhelmed him. It added to him already being scared enough as it was which didn’t mix too well right now. He was scared, sure. Frightened even, especially as he entered the citadel but the anxiety that quickly made him feel weak and almost dizzy all over wasn’t his own. He was able to feel what Noctis felt after all even though he kind of wished for this ability to cease to exist right now because it made him want to run, to slam open every door until he finally found him.

Instead of doing this and risking losing his mind in the process, he decided to face whatever was causing his friend to feel like this right now and focused on what strength he had left at this point, hoping that it somehow had the power to reach Noctis’ mind.

Slowly, the anxiety began to fade into something more like discomfort. It wasn’t gone entirely but he was glad about whatever he’d done and just hoped it wasn’t only his imagination. Count your blessings and all that.

Even though he still wasn’t sure where he was supposed to find him, he guessed that the throne room would be his best bet to have a starting point at least. Before he realized it he stood in front of the tall, heavy doors once again. It was eerily quiet and all he could hear was his own heartbeat that seemed to send steady waves of sound through the otherwise silent room.

Prompto didn’t give himself the chance to start thinking again and instead pushed open the doors slowly, the creaking noise almost deafening in this situation.

He should’ve been prepared for what he saw next but nothing could have ever prepared him for this even the slightest bit. Never in a million years.

The way Noctis sat on the throne almost looked peaceful. Almost like he was in a deep sleep, unbothered by what was going on around him. What destroyed this image was the sword that was pierced right through his chest in a way that was definitely lethal. He’d fought enough battles to know this.

Prompto felt as if his feet were glued to the floor, held down by heavy bricks and unwilling to move. Would Noctis wake up if he lightly squeezed his shoulder like he had all those times in the past? Would he still look at him with tired eyes, annoyance underlining them? Or would Prompto feel nothing but coldness running through his fingertips?

He clutched a hand over his heart, the gesture reminding him of the one he’d when he last saw Noctis. A trembling hand over his heart, clutching his jacket just a little too much to be viewed close to acceptable, head bowed.

When he looked up again he knew that he had to go up there. He didn’t come here for nothing. Noctis needed him. He’d promised to always be by his side, no matter what happened. There was still the possibility of everything ending up not being real and nothing more than a tale but he didn’t come all this way for nothing. He had to find out. That much he owed to Noctis.

Just as he clenched and unclenched his fists with a determined look in his eyes, a familiar voice spoke up behind him, a chuckle following the words.

“I knew you’d come.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> couldn't help but add that cliffhanger :D


	6. Castle of Glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before he vanished entirely, he turned around one last time. “Always remember; Where there is light there is also shadow but only in the dark you can see the stars.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I decided to write this chapter from Noct's pov since I think it might explain some things that happened so far. The next one will be written from Prompto's pov again as usual :) Enjoy!

_Quiet._

 

Everything had suddenly gotten so unbelievably quiet yet the silence seemed to be piercing through his entire body, starting at his fingertips and spreading out until it made his head buzz and his mind become wrapped in fog. The foggy sensation seemed to build up in walls around him, making him unable to decipher what was reality and what wasn’t. It almost reminded him of the numerous times they’d done hunts together at nighttime in the past but at the same time it wasn’t anything alike. Those times had always been filled with laughter and the reassurance of flashlights illuminating their path – cancelling out the darkness as much as possible along with the silence.

That was the difference. The silence stayed and it still held him tight in its merciless grip.

He wasn’t sure if his eyes were closed or not, he almost hoped they were because in that case there would be a chance of light as soon as he managed to open them because right now he only saw darkness as well.

On second thought, dark probably wasn’t the right word to describe it. _Nothing_ seemed to fit much better. He saw absolutely nothing and he had no idea where he was. If he was still sitting, if he was laying down somewhere or standing up – for all he knew he might as well have been floating and he would be none the wiser.

Maybe this was it. This was all there was to this so-called afterlife he’d wasted so many pointless thoughts on during his lifetime. Was this what everyone ended up with? What the gods gave everyone that prayed for a life after death? This could hardly be called a life – it lacked any kind of emotions or senses that made life worth living. Right now, he wasn’t sure if he was even existing.

He still remembered everything that happened before his death – he decided to just call it that and try to get into the habit of accepting it – very vividly in every detail.

It all seemed to have rushed by so quickly. The return to Hammerhead, the last few hours he’d spent there and Insomnia – compared to ten years it was nothing. A little voice in the back of his mind whispered a wish for more, more time, more opportunities to make everything better, not just for him but for everyone else as well. The voice was shut down almost as fast as it had appeared because he knew that this was what he’d been given and if he was dealt a bad hand then he just had to accept it somehow. This was easier said than done however because he knew that he never really carried his burdens alone and even in his final moments he hadn’t been alone – there was always someone by his side.

The thought of his return to Hammerhead stuck with him for some reason and with it came a whole wave of memories that he desperately tried to keep his head above, trying not to drown in them. There were faces flashing by – Gladio, Ignis and Prompto standing next to Talcott’s car, looking as if they’d just seen a ghost which was most likely the best description there was to what he must have looked like. Still, they tried to treat him as if he’d never been gone and even though he appreciated their attempts it hadn’t been successful because there were too many things that had changed. Hammerhead hardly looked anything like it had anymore, Hunters standing in every corner and on every platform that had been built in order to keep safety up as much as possible.

He could also see obvious changes in his friend’s faces as soon as he looked at them for the first time again. They’d changed their appearance a bit which was to be expected after such a long time but next to the obvious changes there had also been some smaller, less easy to recognize ones such as the look in their eyes and the lines on their faces. The darkness had left traces for sure and not even they had succeeded in escaping them.

The memory of his last real conversation with Prompto stuck out to him, it seemed like he could almost hold onto the memory in the _nothingness_ he was in right now and clutch it in his hands, holding it tight and not letting it go again to have something that made him _feel_ again.

He had made him promise – or wanted to, anyways. By now he regretted it, realizing what kind of pressure he must’ve put on his friend in that moment that had been overwhelming enough by itself. He hoped that Prompto didn’t feel bad about it, which, knowing him, he probably did. Noctis wished he could tell him not to. If only.

Him thinking about Prompto appeared to have some effect on this darkness he was in right now because in front of him the memory seemed to transform into something real. It looked like a stream of light, fireflies floating closely next to each other, blinding him with its brightness and making him realize that his eyes had in fact been open the whole time because he was definitely able to see this.

He stretched his hand out and tried to wrap his fingers around the string of lights. Its aura of safety and warmth called out to him and made the silence feel a little bit less threatening as long as he looked at it.

As soon as he touched it electricity buzzed through his body. He’d made countless potions with lightning and blizzards in his life but this was something entirely different. The electricity he felt right now seemed to spread out into every vein and didn’t remain in the palm of his hand.

If it was possible to feel pure _light_ , this was it.

The dark nothingness around him seemed to lift a bit, replaced by something brighter and less intimidating. He took a few steps, careful not to stumble over his own legs that were still shaking. After a few steps he sensed something appear in front of him, or rather someone. The silhouette was caught in the fog that still lingered at first but slowly it lifted, revealing who it was.

“Dad?”

He took a few more cautious steps towards the man before him. It couldn’t possibly be his father that was standing right before him. This couldn’t be real.

“Noctis. It’s good to see you again. You have no idea how much I missed you.” His father spoke to him, his voice still the same as the last time he’d seen him.

“I… How… What is happening here?” He asked, his voice shaking audibly. Probably not the best first impression for someone who was supposed to be a king right now but he was just too shaken for something like correct sentences right now.

Regis smiled at him, stepping closer and placing a warm, steady hand on his shoulder. “We don’t have a lot of time as I am not supposed to be here for long. You’ll be going back.”

“What do you mean, going back? Going back where? I’m supposed to be dead!” He couldn’t stop his voice from rising slightly in volume.

“Back to Lucis where you belong. Your time isn’t over yet.”

This whole thing was getting more confusing by the second. “But why? Surely the gods wouldn’t want me to sacrifice myself just to bring me back again. It doesn’t make any sense.”

“Maybe to you it doesn’t, at least not yet but let me explain. Do you remember the tale about soulmates I told you once back when you were younger?”

Noctis was quiet for a few moments, trying to remember what his father was talking about. It had been a long time but he still remembered it. “I do. What about it?”

“You’ve been chosen for someone. In fact, the gods chose you so it was entirely their choice to give you this.”

“I don’t understand… In order to restore light I had to fulfill the prophecy. If I go back now, will the darkness also come back? They won’t get their sacrifice.”

“I spent a lot of time in my life questioning the gods, their choices and what they’re doing but eventually I’ve come to realize that not everything they do is as clear in our eyes as it is in theirs. Trust them. You’ll still bring the light with you wherever you go.” Regis answered, familiar smile still on his face. Noctis didn’t even realize how much he’d missed seeing his father smile like this. Right now he looked as if he was truly happy because of what was happening right now, even if Noctis himself didn’t fully understand it yet.

“I might not trust them but I still trust you. I don’t know what all this means but I won’t let you down, I promise.” He said, looking up at his father.

“That’s enough for me. I’m incredibly proud of everything that you’ve done and I believe that you deserve what more time you’re getting with all my heart. Go forth now, we’ll meet again someday when the time is right.” His father squeezed his shoulder one last time, assurance in his eyes.

He then began to disappear, walking away from Noctis slowly, fading out into the bright fog around him. Before he vanished entirely, he turned around one last time. “Always remember; Where there is light there is also shadow but only in the dark you can see the stars.” With these final words he was gone, leaving Noctis by himself once more.

He tried to sort through his thoughts as good as possible. He’d just met his father again whom he had missed so dearly even though he tried not to show it too much. He didn’t want to put this burden on anyone else.

The part that intrigued him the most was the part about him going back to Lucis, about him having a soulmate. The tale his father had told him about wasn’t too popular but some people still knew about it and told it to their children. One of them being his father.

According to what he’d heard it was possible for two people to share a soul bond of some kind. They were able to send each other messages just by writing on their skin and some were even able to share emotions.

He guessed that he had to try it eventually because he couldn’t remain here forever, not that he wanted to do that. He looked around him, searching for something that could be used to write the message on his skin but there was nothing but fog around him still. Just as he was about to slouch his shoulders in defeat he heard small noises in the distance. They were incredibly quiet at first but grew louder to something that almost sounded like… paws? Sure enough, a few seconds later a white dog appeared in front of him.

Confused, he kneeled down in front of it to be able to look into its eyes. “Pryna? What are you doing here?” Everything about this experience got more bizarre by the second. First he met his father whom he thought he wouldn’t get to see ever again and now Pryna appeared out of nowhere?

Pryna just looked at him with a warm, almost calming expression and bowed her head down to drop something in front of his feet. He picked the object up and examined it. It seemed to be a simple black pen, an almost unfamiliar sight in this odd situation.

“Thank you, Pryna” he said, petting her head and feeling her lean into the touch slightly. But then she began to vanish just the same way his father did, disappearing in the form of a mere silhouette into the white, thick fog.

To him there were no doubts about who his soulmate was, the string of lights from earlier still wrapped tightly around him, illuminating him from the inside out. Blue eyes and blond hair filled his thoughts, freckled cheeks and quiet laughter following after. He’d expected this to feel at least a bit weird or out of place, awkward even. He’d never gave himself the chance to see Prompto as more than his best friend but deep down he knew that there had always been something, at least for him. Some small, almost inaudible whisper pulling at the left side of his chest whenever he found himself being caught up in blue eyes. The same whisper being replaced by incredible agony he’d never felt before when he looked at them for the last time, knowing he would never be able to almost lose himself in them ever again.

 _Maybe this was it._ Maybe this was what _it_ had been supposed to be from the beginning.

He didn’t think about his message for long, just went along with what his fingers wrote by themselves, steered by nothing else but that same whisper inside him.

‘ _Still with you’_ decorated his arm shortly after.

***

 

The first time Noctis looked at the new writing on his arm the lights around him seemed to glow even brighter than before, wrapping him tighter in their embrace, almost as if he was a part of them.

 _‘Ever at your side’_ was written on his arm in a quite neat handwriting in the same spot he’d left his message at first. The meaning behind it erased any doubt of the writer being anyone else but his friend because no one else would be able to pick out such a simple yet at the same time complex string of words.

So it had worked. It _was_ working. They still couldn’t exactly talk or see each other but at least they knew that the other existed. He wondered if Prompto had known about the soulmate-tale as well or if someone else had told him. Maybe he didn’t know at all and thought this was some joke or curse?

Once more he only had hope to hold onto but this was better than having nothing and right now things weren’t looking too bad.

Just as he’d started to relax a little more after worrying about Prompto’s information or lack thereof, a completely new feeling overcame him.

It felt as if the lights around him pulled around him tighter, tangling in thousands of knots that looked so delicate he didn’t dare touch them in fear of damaging them. Loosening them wouldn’t work either, at least not without any miracle. There were too many of them.

The brightness around him dulled but the fog from before still stayed, only adding to the darkness that was threatening to fall over him. A storm started to form, its strong breeze making the lights fly around wildly and standing up started to become challenging as the wind grew even stronger.

Whatever this meant, it wasn’t anything good.

Raindrops began to fall, splattering on the ground next to him with loud sounds. Eventually it started to look like a thunderstorm, like one of the ones him and his friends had rushed to look for shelter in order to protect themselves from.

Anxiety welled up in his chest along with the feeling of utter _sadness._ He didn’t understand. Just a few moments ago everything had looked so well and now all hell started to break loose.

Noctis started to contemplate what this could mean. There had to be some meaning to this, his father had told him that the gods had a reason for everything that happened even if it wasn’t obvious to him at first.

The rain started to drip down his face, making his eyes burn and forced closed whenever a drop fell into them. Then it hit him. People who shared soulbonds could also share feelings and emotions, not all of them though. It was seen as proof of a rather strong bond when it was possible for them to do that. It was the only logical explanation he could come to considering the current situation. Prompto must be in some kind of pain right now, his feelings enough to start a storm in Noctis’ mind.

He wished that he could comfort him in any way that wasn’t just simple letters on skin that would disappear within a few hours. If only he could tell him that everything was going to be alright without having to risk any doubts. Still, he tried the only thing he could think of, the only thing the universe was ready to give him right now. He picked up his pen again.

_‘Don’t cry, I’m here.’_

The lights began to detangle, embracing him in their soft glow again.

 

***

 

 

_‘Where are you?’_

It was such a simple question yet he didn’t know how to answer. Was he even allowed to answer or would that trigger some sort of weird disturbance in this entire thing? The brightness around him had started to dull slowly, surrounding him with gloomy darkness instead of white fog like before. But the lights were still here. Still wrapped around him. Still laced around each of his fingers, giving off a feeling of security. Sometimes it was almost like his hand was being squeezed reassuringly by another person but whenever he looked down at it, expecting to find someone else standing next to him the only thing he found were the lights around it. He wasn’t complaining, even if he couldn’t see the person, _Prompto_ , he still knew that he was here with him in some sense. He just hoped that the blond felt the same kind of reassurance too.

Noctis decided to answer the message with a simple _‘Don’t know. Too dark.’_

After all he really did not know where he was and how he could help Prompto find him if that was even what he wanted to do. Surely he would try to find him, wouldn’t he?

The lights began to tighten their hold once again. He’d felt them doing this quite a few times over the course of the last hours or days, if that was how time was measured here in this weird space between heaven and earth. He’d gotten more confident in recognizing what the reaction of the lights meant, what they wanted to tell him. Sometimes it was anxiety. Sometimes it was sadness. Mostly though, both.

Suddenly, the world around him seemed to be caught up in a storm once again, one so heavy it made his mind feel fuzzy. Immediately a wave of bad thoughts threatened to overwhelm him. He had to think about the possibility of something happening to Prompto whilst he was searching for him. The words of his father still stuck with him. _Where there’s light there’s also shadow._ Maybe he wasn’t the only one getting more time.

He felt himself being pulled deeper into the new darkness around him, the lights still not leaving his side, wrapping themselves around him like a safety blanket.

_Please, be okay._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter, opinions are greatly appreciated :D


	7. Collide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They might be able to win the battle but that didn’t mean they’d win this war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally got this chapter done which is in Prompto's POV again, I'm still not too sure if I like it or not but oh well, I hope you guys do :D by the way, thanks to everyone who has been leaving kudos and comments on this story, I truly appreciate them and love reading them :)

“I knew you’d come.”

 

The code on his wrist burned but at the same time Prompto felt his whole body freeze. It felt as if he was encased in thick ice and stuck to the ground, being stripped of the ability to move even a fragment of an inch. The already cool night air seemed to have gotten even colder in the span of mere seconds and the degrees continued to sink mercilessly. He suddenly got flashbacks of being lost in the middle of a snowstorm in Gralea, little pictures that flashed in his brain like photographs that were flipped through. The only difference was that the pictures he saw now couldn’t be deleted. They couldn’t be edited, no adjustment to them was possible. Usually he cropped the bad parts out of the pictures he snapped or played around with filters until they an originally bad picture was made to look acceptable, good even. But these just _were_. He’d spent numerous nights and dark days searching for something close to a delete button inside his mind but such a thing just didn’t exist, not for him, not for anyone.

He was certain that _someone like him_ was bound to have something like an off button but this was not the case.

The shiver that had begun to run down his back still hadn’t stopped and neither had the inability to move.

Once during winter Noctis and him had gotten in a snowball fight back when they were still at school. He remembered the moment as if it were yesterday. They’d spent the whole Sunday morning studying at Noctis’ apartment with Ignis practically breathing down their necks because they’d already spent the whole Saturday evening and half of the night gaming in front of Noct’s TV, both wrapped in blankets that provided plenty of warmth even as snow piled up outside, leaving small crystals of ice against the windows, whilst eating junk food Noctis had found somewhere at the back of his kitchen cabinets.

After they’d studied for what seemed hours upon hours Ignis finally agreed to let them go to the arcade for a well-deserved break, only they didn’t exactly make it there. It had been their plan, really, but they didn’t take the snow outside into account. As soon as they were a few steps away from the apartment Prompto noticed that his friend had fallen behind him a few steps and as he turned around to tell him to hurry up a bit he’d been hit square in the face by a snowball Noctis had been preparing behind his back. At first he was frozen in shock but when he heard his friend’s teasing laughter he’d called it _war_ and that was how it all had started.

Both of them continued to throw snow at each other back and forth even though the fresh snow didn’t really stick together so they ended up throwing rather sad-looking snowballs that would fall apart before they’d even hit the other person most of the time. Nevertheless, they had fun. Prompto should have known that Noctis would never accept defeat, even when it came to something silly like a snowball fight but he really thought that he might have a chance if he tried to trick his friend but of course it didn’t work. Noctis knew his every move before Prompto even knew himself and before he knew it, he’d been tackled to the ground, his face buried in the snow and his friend straddling his hips, placing a hand between his shoulderblades to hold him down. Just as Prompto surrendered and was relieved at the thought of getting up again, Noctis had grabbed a handful of snow next to them and stuffed it right under Prompto’s jacket, all the way underneath his shirt. He was sure that he’d never heard Noctis laugh as loud as he did back then whilst he watched Prompto do some sort of awkward dance in an attempt to get the snow out from under his jacket. It was no use though as it had already soaked through and hit the skin of his back, making him shiver from the cold all the way back to Noctis’ apartment where his friend offered him another blanket followed by hot chocolate as a peace offering. Only then the shivers had ceased.

It had been the same feeling as he had right now.

Back then he’d felt it whilst looking at his friend’s laughing face, tears forming at the corners of his eyes from not being able to stop. Right now in this moment he was still looking at the exact same person only now he looked lifeless and he couldn’t even see lines at the corners of his mouth that would give away the smiles and laughter it once expressed. His head was leaned back against the throne and he couldn’t help but think that Noctis looked lost and not like he belonged there at all. He looked as if his head had finally bowed under the heavy weight of the crown he’d carried his whole life, even during lighthearted moments like the one during that day in winter.

Prompto took a deep breath, willing his trembling hands to stop. “What are you doing here?”

He didn’t turn around. He didn’t have to. He didn’t _dare_ to.

Behind him, he could hear quiet snickering. “I just wanted to congratulate the new couple, what else would I possibly do here?”

“You’re supposed to be dead.”

“You sure have an unique way of welcoming an old friend like me. Did you really think that you’d only get him back? It’s only fair that I’m getting a second chance too, don’t you think?” Ardyn said in an almost cheery voice, gesturing to Noctis who still sat as unmoving as he had the whole time. Prompto almost expected him to stand up and tell Ardyn off as soon as he’d finished speaking but that obviously didn’t happen. “I’m supposed to be immortal after all.”

The marble ground in front of him seemed to be beginning to swim in front of it, its straight lines blurring into unrecognizable shapes and forms. “I’m done playing your games. Why can’t you just leave me alone?” He wanted to yell, to scream, but his voice only came out as a quiet, vulnerable whisper.

By now, the man behind him had walked up to him and stood next to him. There was a distance between them but it was still too close for comfort. No distance from Ardyn would ever be enough.

“Don’t you worry, I only came here to see this tragically romantic moment but I’m a little disappointed. Where are the tears and the emotions? Shouldn’t you be laying in each others arms by now?”

Prompto knew that all the other man wanted was to get a reaction out of him. He’d already broken him in the past but he knew that he’d do it all over again. Ardyn was the kind of person to take all the pieces Prompto had carefully put together apart again, shattering them beyond recognition and then leaving them strewn out across the ground like little puzzle pieces that would never be complete again. He wasn’t ready for this. Not now, not ever again.

He gathered all his courage and looked him right into the eyes. A whole new wave of coldness overtook him because he immediately recognized them and saw his own pain reflect in them. Those were the same eyes he’d been forced to look at back when he’d been captured after falling off the train near Tenebrae. They still held the exact same look in them. “Leave.” He hissed, venom dripping from the word.

“I see I’m not wanted here. Well, I guess I’ll give you your privacy then,” he turned to leave, smiling at the ground before adding “Oh and be careful, it sure would be a shame if something as fragile as your bond was… cut, wouldn’t it?” He accompanied the sentence with a cutting motion by his hand, flashing Prompto one last grin before he exited the room, heavy doors closing behind him and leaving silence behind once more.

 

Two things became apparent during their conversation: Ardyn knew. He knew of their bond and he’d most likely known for a long time, maybe even before Prompto figured it out. The man had just been waiting for this to happen, for him to come here in hopes of getting Noctis out of here alive. It wasn’t just pure coincidental that Ardyn found him right in this moment.

The second thing was that he wouldn’t leave them alone, that much was certain. Even if they’d both make it back against all odds they wouldn’t be safe from him. Prompto didn’t know what Ardyn’s plan was but he saw enough of him in the past to know that it wouldn’t do them any good for sure. Maybe he was better off not knowing, at least for now. He couldn’t run away forever and neither could Noctis but he was gone for now, even if just for a moment. At least they were in this together and he didn’t have to fight all alone anymore.

They might be able to win the battle but that didn’t mean they’d win this war.

The temperature in the room still seemed to be a few degrees lower than it had been when he first entered and the whole aura was entirely different as well. There was something lingering in the air that made him feel threatened, as if danger lurked everywhere, underneath the stairs and hidden beneath the debris that was scattered across the room, dots of grey dust on top of the usually immaculate marble floor.

The ceiling was also partly gone just like he remembered, giving way to the night sky that was littered with stars shining through thin dark clouds trying to overshadow them. Still, they managed to break through. For a second Prompto thought that he’d never seen them shine as brightly as they did right now.

 

He directed his eyes away from the sky and towards his friend again who still seemed to be in some kind of deep sleep. For as long as he’d known him, Noctis had never been easy to wake up and it had been the starting point of many arguments during their time on the road because Ignis as well as Gladio had been certain that there was such a thing as _too many naps_ but of course Noctis disagreed and instead chose to answer the question with closing his eyes again, ignoring the comments and continuing to sleep as if nothing had happened. Prompto had never been particularly bothered by this habit of his friend, quite the contrary actually. Whenever he looked into the rearview mirror of the car he couldn’t help but almost find it kind of endearing seeing Noctis be at peace like that. He knew that he had to deal with a lot, more than all of them combined and seeing the lines caused by constantly hidden worry on his face relax once in a while made him feel calm as well. Poor guy had to carry enough weight on his shoulders as it was.

The only time when it did bother him however was when he was assigned the task of waking his friend up, especially in the mornings. If he fell asleep in the car or somewhere else during the day a small squeeze to his shoulders was usually sufficient to wake him up. In the morning though it was a whole other story.

Gladio had teased Noctis about it once at camp and told him that there could be an entire herd of Garulas galloping right by the tent and he still wouldn’t move a muscle. Of course he denied this but Prompto, Ignis and Gladio all shared a look that confirmed this theory. Honestly, it wasn’t even exaggerated.

Long story short, eventually Gladio and Ignis had grown so frustrated of their unsuccessful attempts of waking the prince up that it had started to be entirely Prompto’s responsibility. At first he didn’t understand what was so difficult about it that even Ignis had given up. Waking someone up wasn’t rocket science, right? Wrong, apparently.

As it turned out it took a whole lot more than just giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze to wake him up. Most days, getting him out of the tent was a full-body workout because he basically had to drag his friend out to get him to stand up or keep his eyes open for more than a few seconds. Some days though Prompto felt a bit more sympathy towards Noctis who had actual reasons to be as tired as he was and instead of forcefully trying to drag him out proceeded to wake him up a bit more gently than that.

For as long as he could remember there hadn’t ever been any real physical barrier between them since Prompto could be pretty affectionate towards some people if he wanted to be and if he trusted them enough. His friend was a bit more reserved but he’d still never complained when Prompto wrapped both of them in the same blanket whenever they’d sat in front of the TV back in Insomnia.

So one day he’d just had enough of the tiring chore of trying to get him out of bed and when Noctis had rolled over yet another time to escape the inevitable getting up he’d just wrapped his arms and legs around him, hopefully annoying him enough to get him to try and remove all the limbs hindering his chances of sleeping in a comfortable manner. If it wasn’t possible to wake him up by pure force maybe annoying him to the point of wanting to flee would do the trick.

Only he had to realize that he’d miscalculated the situation entirely.

Noctis must’ve still been half asleep because instead of complaining he just sighed deeply and sought out the newly added source of warmth around him, tucking his head further under Prompto’s chin and resuming his sleep.

The blond himself was shocked to say at least but not in a bad way. No, that was absolutely not the case. _Maybe_ he’d even fallen asleep again himself whilst running his fingers through black hair. Maybe.

 

Prompto forced himself to return his thoughts back to the present instead of occupying them with the person who was sitting in front of him anyway. This was his chance of finally getting back what had been meant to be _his_ all along and he wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Careful, slow steps led him up the stairs. There was hesitance looming over him along with fear. He was still scared that all this simply wouldn’t work. That everything – the messages, Ardyn – would turn out to be a product of his tangled mind but he couldn’t allow himself to think like that. Not right now, not when there was so much to win.

He’d never been the luckiest person to walk upon the earth but maybe this time someone somewhere decided that it was his turn.

By now he had made it up the stairs and was standing in front of Noctis, who was still sitting with his head tilted back slightly, looking as if he was staring at the sky if it weren’t for the fact that his eyes remained closed.

Prompto kneeled down in front of him because just standing there seemed wrong and he didn’t want to scare his friend when he woke up and saw someone just standing there. Slowly, he reached out to run his fingers across one of Noctis’ hands that were placed on the armrests of the throne. As soon as he touched it, warmth began to run through his fingertips that were cold and clammy from the fear he felt. He saw a slight twitch in his friend’s hand which startled him and almost made him pull back his own. Instead, he tightened his grip on Noctis’ hand, interlacing their fingers easily as if that was how they were supposed to be. Holding onto each other, sharing warmth, not letting go and instead gripping tighter.

Only now Prompto saw the slight movement in his chest, rising and falling in a gentle, rhythmic motion. He was breathing. There was _life_ buzzing through the fingers that were placed between the spaces of his own, filling the cold, empty gaps.

Suddenly, vibrant blue eyes met his own, making his own chest heavy from everything, every feeling that was hitting him at once. Indescribable warmth began to run through his veins, filling them with something he hadn’t felt in so long. He felt his own hand being held, squeezed tightly in a manner that would’ve been almost uncomfortable if it hadn’t brought him so much utter _happiness_ in this moment.

Just as he tore his eyes away from Noctis’ for a second to look at their joined hands again, wanting to reassure himself that it was finally something real in this world that made it impossible to distinguish between right and wrong most of the time, a flash of black caught his eye. There wasn’t much he was sure of nowadays but if one thing was for certain then it was the fact that he hadn’t written what he saw on Noctis’ wrist on his own skin.

A barcode just like his own was placed on his wrist, looking as if it had been there forever. As if it had been meant to be there all along.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i may or may not have started to develop a habit of ending my chapters with cliffhangers


	8. Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was scared that if Noctis’ eyes were to close once more they would stay that way forever. That the flicker of new life that was reflecting in them right now was maybe just an illusion, a reflection of what he had left of his own life but wasn’t able to give to anyone else even if he wanted to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! This chapter is a bit late because I had a busy week and wasn't able to write nearly as much as I wanted to but I hope it makes up for the delay :)
> 
> It's still quite angsty in the beginning but the next chapter will be super fluffy (since i can't resist anymore lol)

The stars that had been scattered across the inky black sky up until what seemed like only a few moments ago had almost faded out of the sky completely by now, giving way to a new day and the slowly oncoming light of dawn.

How ironic that the start of a new day caught Prompto’s attention just as the deep blue ones in front of his own slowly opened again, revealing only a hint of their color. Noctis looked incredibly tired, exhausted even. His eyelids seemed to get pulled down by an invisible force, small weights attacked to long lashes made to keep them from being able to stay open for more than a fragment of a second. It wasn’t the kind of tired he used to complain about all the time, the kind that some random motel bed instead of the hard ground of the tent and more than five hours of sleep for once could fix. The kind that Prompto knew how to handle because he was oh so familiar with it himself. No, it was different than that.

He was scared that if Noctis’ eyes were to close once more they would stay that way forever. That the flicker of new life that was reflecting in them right now was maybe just an illusion, a reflection of what he had left of his own life but wasn’t able to give to anyone else even if he wanted to.

Still, he was aware of the fact that he was still holding the other’s hand tightly in a way that had become more squeezing than holding by now, giving the fear inside him a way to escape. He just hoped that the way his fingers were trembling wasn’t too obvious to Noctis who seemed to return the tight grip on his hand, holding on just as much, grateful for whatever security he could hold onto right now.

As Prompto looked down at their fingers again who were still curled around each others hands, the blank ink on Noctis’ wrist caught his attention once more, the fine lines and numbers burning right into his eyes. The barcode wasn’t fully visible as it was still partly covered by the sleeve resting upon it but Prompto knew exactly what it was, he would still know it even if he only saw a single digit of it. He’d spent so many hours staring at his own, trying to figure out if it was possible to remove it whilst he was also trying to figure out who he _was_ and if he’d ever really been supposed to make it this far. The only time he dared to look at it was when he was by himself and sure that nobody would be able to see because he’d always known that something was wrong with him. That this little sign on his wrist defined who he was and that there was no way around that fact. An MT, a threat, an enemy. Lifeless, without any emotion but with blood made out of steel and veins out of wires. An experiment and a failed one at that. That time, failing might have actually been a good thing because he didn’t know where he’d be if he had made it back in Niflheim. He probably wouldn’t _be_ at all.

It had become a habit for him to always keep it covered up, especially after he met Noctis and the others. At that time, it seemed like a survival strategy since the first time that he saw how they ruthlessly fought the MT’s in their way. He never blamed them for it and fought alongside them because he knew that they never considered the fact of MT’s being actual human beings or whatever was left of them. If he didn’t know better he wouldn’t waste a thought on that possibility either because they all looked like robots after all. Sparks flew whenever a sword or a bullet hit them and they fell to the ground as if some falsely programmed software finally failed them. It was hard to imagine life fading out of them when all Prompto ever heard was the slowly dying buzz of electricity.

Even though he knew that his own blood that was flowing through his veins and keeping his heart beating steadily was crimson red he was scared that one day it wouldn’t be. That the usual red stains soaking the ground and staining his skin would turn the same color as the ink on his wrist or that instead of seeing an enemy weapon cut his skin it would cut through wire instead, causing small bolts of lightning to escape him.

Sure his friends knew and had even accepted him being the person he was but hearing it being told like a bizarre story in the midst of a battle was different than actually seeing his blue eyes turn red.

Seeing the same thing that had forced him to have all these thoughts and these struggles on the person most important to him was overwhelming in the worst way imaginable. He wondered if Noctis even knew what was hidden on his wrist or if he was still none the wiser. Eventually he would have to tell him and try to explain even if he didn’t know any better himself but Prompto was sure that there would be time for that later. Right now, he had to get his friend out of here and back to Hammerhead as soon as possible because worry was beginning to cloud his thoughts. There was also the fact that Gladio and Ignis still didn’t know about all this and were surely beginning to grow suspicious about his sudden, unexplained disappearance. He tore his eyes away from the hypnotizing black ink. It was hard for his eyes to let go of it. It was almost as if they were subconsciously scanning the code, trying to gather information on who the person in front of him was even though he already knew.

“Noct?”

Even after Noctis returned, although only for a short amount of time, it still felt weird saying his name again. The word on his tongue felt foreign but at the same time kind of like a déjà vu, something he knew but he wasn’t sure if it had ever been real. It was the same word, the very name that he’d avoided so much in the past. It was also the same name he’d heard himself saying in his dreams and screaming when he finally succeeded in pulling himself out of them, gripping cold sheets that were stained from sweat and tears. The same name he’d whispered quietly for no one to hear but himself some nights whilst burying his face in the pillow, seeking comfort in the moments that were too quiet otherwise.

But for now, it felt as if he could get used to it again.

“Are you alright? You with me here?” He decided to ask, not sure how to approach this situation.

Noctis shook his head slightly as if being woken up from a trance he’d been captured in. “Uh I think so? I feel really… tired? Is this real?”

He seemed to be just as overwhelmed as Prompto himself was which didn’t really help to ease his worry but at least it made him feel less alone.

“Do you know what happened?”

“I was in this weird foggy place and then I… woke up here I guess.” Noctis stammered a bit and seemed as if he had to choose his words wisely. Prompto didn’t want to force him to talk about what he’d experienced in that place though because he got the impression that the other wasn’t ready to talk about it yet and after everything he’d seen he was sure that there was a reason for this. “I also heard someone talk just before I woke up I think. It didn’t sound like you though.”

Prompto didn’t think that he’d heard that but decided that telling Noctis the truth would be the best thing to do, even if it maybe wasn’t the best time right now. He deserved to know and at some point he’d have to know. “It was Ardyn.”

The shock on his friend’s face was becoming apparent. “What do you mean Ardyn? I thought he was supposed to be dead?”

“That’s what I thought too. Look, I don’t know what… any of this means, really. But at least I’ve got you back now.”

At this, Noctis let his eyes wander away but couldn’t hide the faint blush that was beginning to stain his cheeks. Prompto just grinned. _Still the Noctis I know._

“We should probably get out of here,” Noctis said after a while, his voice quiet and hesitant, eyes still not daring to meet Prompto’s again. Instead, they were now focused on their hands that had remained unchanged from before. He wished that he could see the expression in them right now. Even in times like this the other still found it in him to be the same person that he’d always been.

“Right,” Prompto said, trying his best to make his voice sound determined, “do you think you can walk?”

“I think so.” Noctis answered, already beginning the first attempt at standing up before he even gave himself time to finish talking. Prompto felt the added weight on his hand from the other using the armrest to try and steady his shaking legs enough to be able to stand up but he wasn’t strong enough yet. Instead, he sat back down, looking defeated. His expression reminded Prompto of a small child that just got done throwing a tantrum and was now left to sulk in its room. At that thought, he had to smile and stood up from his kneeling position, then offered his other hand to Noctis who was still pouting.

“Come on, I’ll help you,” he said, gesturing for the other one to take his hand and let Prompto help him, which he did. Soon enough, they were both standing, looking at each other again with their hands still holding on.

“That wasn’t so bad. Now we only have to make it down these stairs and… all the way back to Hammerhead.” With this, Prompto moved to try and steady Noctis, circling one arm around his waist and having him place his arm on Prompto’s shoulder so they wouldn’t end up losing their balance. The stairs were soon descended with less difficulty than expected. Finally, Noctis returned his smile.

 

***

 

“It’s kinda weird.”

“What’s weird?”

“Knowing that this hasn’t happened for such a long time while I wasn’t here and yet for me it feels like I’ve never really missed the sunrise before. At least I can’t remember it.”

They’d almost made it back to Hammerhead by now and could already see the sign in the distance. In front of them, the sun began to rise over the peaks of the mountains, making the world around them appear in a warm, orange glow that immediately eliminated any coldness left. It seemed like everything that had happened in Insomnia just a few hours ago had been nothing but another dream, another illusion and Prompto would soon wake up to see nothing but the plain ceiling of the caravan again, illuminated only by artificial lighting instead of the sun.

“What was it like?” Noctis looked at him with a confused expression. “I mean, obviously you were gone for a long time but I’ve always wondered if you actually… remember some of it? Was it like you were sleeping?” He didn’t know how and if to ask this question but it didn’t stop to bother him. Regret started to flow through him as soon as he said the words because it was most likely still too soon for Noctis to talk about what had happened and _what was he even thinking._

For a long time, there was only silence between them. Their whole way back had mostly been silent but it wasn’t necessarily uncomfortable, it just felt right to let the moments pass by without any words, the only thing interrupting the quiet being the sound of their steps upon the ground.

Just as Prompto was about to speak up and apologize, Noctis broke the silence. “I don’t remember all of it. To be honest, the only thing I remember is feeling as if I was floating and then Bahamuth speaking to me and telling me about the prophecy. When I woke up I didn’t know where I was or how much time had passed but I did know that something wasn’t right. It’s hard to explain.”

“You don’t have to. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. I’m sure it’s still… a lot.”

“No it’s fine, don’t worry. It’s not easy to talk about it because I’m not sure how much of it is real and all but I wouldn’t want to talk to anyone else about it.” Noctis replied, his eyes searching Prompto’s and meeting them with a warm smile that carried the power to calm him down immediately.

They were still holding onto each other the same way as before and Prompto was already scared of having to let go again. He kept telling himself that he was just concerned about the other falling or even fainting due to his legs that still carried him rather wobbly and not nearly as stable as they should but he knew that those weren’t exactly all the reasons. Holding Noctis made him _real,_ feeling his muscles move underneath Prompto’s arm that was still wrapped around his waist confirmed that he was next to him instead of far away. If anything, he wanted to get closer.

They continued to walk towards their destination in a slow pace and let silence settle between them once more and again it didn’t feel like an awkward kind of silence – like when a conversation can’t be continued because no one knows what to talk about anymore – it just felt calm. Serene, even.

Still, Prompto clearly felt some tension between them and couldn’t help but suspect that the other felt it as well because apparently they now had the tendency to share certain feelings and emotions. He hadn’t figured out what were the requirements for them to actually be transferred to each other. Until now, he’d thought that it just had to be a very strong and overwhelming feeling like extreme fear or anxiety but he might have just been proven otherwise a few minutes ago.

Obviously, Noctis had smiled at him plenty of times in the past because that’s just what friends did – nothing weird about that.

He’d also made him laugh until the corners of his eyes were filled with tears, sometimes because of some inside joke that no one else but them got and also because of their occasional tickle fights. Noctis was incredibly ticklish – a fact that he’d always been careful to keep to himself because he probably knew that his friends wouldn’t hesitate a single second before making use of this knowledge. It had taken Prompto a while to find out but during one of his famous trying-to-wake-the-prince-up attempts he did and he’d continued to abuse his newfound power whenever he got the chance and _oh_ did he get a lot of chances. It had become a common occurrence for him to sneak up to Noctis and deliver a small pinch to his sides or his graze his fingers along the back of his neck just to hear him squeak loudly in surprise which made not only him but all of them laugh. Only Noctis was left pouting with crossed arms once more, looking as if he was already plotting revenge but even his façade crumbled and he couldn’t stop the smile spreading across his face.

Smiles like that had always made Prompto feel warm inside as soon as they were targeted at him. He’d always felt a little more than just the urge to return the smile but he never wasted a lot of thought on it because whatever it was, it would never have the chance to _be_ anyway.

Just a few minutes ago, Noctis had smiled at him again, assuring him that his question about his disappearance hadn’t been out of place or rude but something about it had felt different. Instead of noticing the familiar warmth spread out inside of him he’d felt more. It was as if everything he felt at that moment weren’t just his own emotions anymore. It was as if they were more intense, almost overwhelmingly so. It reminded him of something wrapping around him, something light and bright and _warm_. The sensation could be compared to the one he’d felt back in Insomnia where he’d suddenly been overwhelmed by pure anxiety which wasn’t just his own but Noctis’ as well. This time though, it wasn’t frightening or scary at all. It felt like everything he wanted was wrapped around him tightly, illuminating him from inside out. Like he’d wrapped the fairy lights he had in his room as a child around him but a thousand times more intense. He wanted to put the feeling inside a jar and carry it with him forever. Luckily, he didn’t have to do that right now because he still had his arm wrapped around the person that was apparently the cause for all this.

That person decided to pick this moment to speak up again, pulling him out of his deep thoughts. “This will sound super weird, I swear I haven’t gone crazy but do you also feel kinda… uh…” Noctis began to stammer, his words nothing but an almost inaudible mumble at the end. He looked as if he was trying to solve some difficult math problem but Prompto knew exactly what he was trying to say even if he wasn’t any better at explaining it himself.

Maybe he didn’t have to.

Hopefully the smile he directed at Noctis would be enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! :)


	9. Pieces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis was looking right at him, his eyes still holding a tired expression in them. “Stay… please?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally a chapter that's a bit less angsty!  
> There's also plenty of fluff to come (since I'm a total sucker for it) despite the pretty angsty beginning of this so you don't have to worry about that. :D 
> 
> Enjoy!

“Prompto? Is that you?”

 _Shit._ Of course Ignis would be able to recognize him by the sound of his footsteps alone. He should have known that much. He hadn’t thought about how he would explain his impromptu journey back to Insomnia to his friends because he was sure that he could avoid them for a few minutes at least but it at the moment it looked like this wasn’t a wish he would be granted.

All he could focus on was getting Noctis, who was still hanging onto him, into bed as soon as possible because he didn’t look good at all if he was being honest. His face was pale, too pale even for someone like Noctis who tended to get sunburn rather than a tan. Even sunscreen was useless most of the time. Right now, it seemed like keeping his eyes open was still a challenge for the other and the dark shadows underneath them didn’t help the whole situation. All in all, he looked utterly exhausted and Prompto didn’t want to keep him awake any longer than he had to which made Ignis noticing his reappearance incredibly inconvenient. Him and Gladio would want answers for sure – though Prompto couldn’t blame them – and they also wouldn’t miss the opportunity to deliver a long lecture to him about how going to Insomnia alone like that was dangerous even if they weren’t any daemons around right now, not that they knew of at least. There were still other beasts around who would see an easy meal in any person that was alone and defenceless.

At the sound of Ignis calling out to Prompto, Noctis perked up and jumped a little. Through his tired haze he probably hadn’t even noticed that they had made it back to Hammerhead already. Prompto just tightened his grip around his waist a little to steady him, his body seemingly wanting to protect the other out of sheer reflex.

“Uh, yeah it’s me. I’m back.” He said, not knowing how else to answer. It didn’t matter – he’d get scolded anyway. Ignis only meant well which made it hard to be annoyed because after all these years he was still worried about all of them. Whenever him or Gladio had went out to hunt down yet another herd of daemons he’d never failed to remind them to _stay safe and don’t do anything reckless_ which was more or less impossible considering they were hunting monsters but still. During that dark time it had been nice to know that someone was worried about him and legitimately cared about what he was doing and whether he returned from a particular dangerous hunt or not in times when Prompto hadn’t even cared about that himself. For now, he decided to let the past be what it was – something that he’d left behind or at least tried to. He had to move forward, not only for him but for the person at his side too.

Ignis made his way over to them, following Prompto’s voice without any difficulty. It was still fascinating how he did everything so easily, almost as if the loss of his sight didn’t affect him at all. Of course it did – no matter how much he tried to hide it, that was still obvious and to be expected – but he dealt with it in a way that was truly admirable.

“Would you mind explaining...” he stopped suddenly, looking up at them before continuing “wait, who’s with you?”

Prompto thought about trying to avoid answering somehow but he knew that it was too late and he’d have to tell Ignis sooner or later anyway. “It’s Noctis.”

Ignis was shocked and didn’t seem to fully believe it at first. “Excuse me?” He asked, pushing his glasses up in a manner that was almost frantic.

Luckily, Noctis decided to answer instead, erasing any doubts Ignis had with a simple “It’s really me,” followed by a weak cough that still rattled through his whole body. Prompto felt the hand on his shoulder tighten.

“Noctis, what in the world happened? Are you alright? You don’t sound well.” Ignis asked. _Typical._

Prompto answered for him since he knew that Noctis would just end up denying that anything was wrong. That was just how he was, not ever wanting to admit that he needed help even if he really did need it – one of the characteristics him and Prompto apparently shared. Still, he didn’t want the other to tire himself out any more. He needed rest and he needed it now, explanations be damned. “He’s exhausted. I think it’s best if we let him sleep for a bit now because he’s barely been able to walk ever since Insomnia. We’ll explain later, promise.”

Ignis seemed to think about it for a minute. “I suppose that would be the best thing to do. But Prompto?”

 _Of course there had to be a catch._ “Yes?”

“Could I talk to you after you’ve brought him inside? It will only take a minute.”

He really should’ve known that he couldn’t just simply avoid the infamous lecturing like that or whatever else his friend had in store for him. “Uhm sure, just give me a few minutes.”

With that, Noctis and him ever so slowly made their way over to the familiar caravan. As soon as they entered it, the other plopped down onto the first bed he came across with a deep sigh, not even bothering to take his shoes or his jacket off before promptly passing out. It seemed almost bizarre seeing Noctis in here again. Only a few days had passed since the last time he’d been sleeping in one of the bunk beds here but it might as well have been an eternity or an entirely different life. All the messages, all the fear and everything they’d shared during those few days seemed so close yet so far away but Prompto knew that it was real. He slowly sat down next to the bed and took the other’s shoes off to prevent them from leaving dirt all over the white sheets in case he moved during his sleep. After that, he tried his best at removing Noctis’ heavy jacket without waking him up but he didn’t even budge during the whole thing. He breathed deeply and steadily, seeming to be sleeping peacefully. Prompto hoped he wouldn’t suddenly wake up whilst he was talking to Ignis and end up being confused or scared, especially after the barcode on the other’s wrist caught his attention once more. By now he was almost sure that Noctis didn’t know about it yet and he really didn’t want him to find out alone whilst he wasn’t with him, it would probably just lead to him panicking which Prompto wanted to avoid at all cost. He looked back at Noctis one last time, reassuring himself that he was _safe_ and exited the caravan, closing the door behind him slowly.

Ignis was already there, sitting on one of the white plastic chairs in front of the caravan, a red cup of coffee standing in front of him. “I don’t mean to be harsh but I’d say you have some explaining to do.”

Prompto sighed and sat down across from him. There was no way around this conversation, might as well get it over with as fast as possible. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have run away like that but I couldn’t help it. I felt like he was in danger and I just… snapped, I guess.”

“That undoubtedly was reckless, even for you. I suppose I don’t need to explain to you why it’s still dangerous to go alone even if there are no more daemons, do I?”

This conversation was going better than he’d expected it to. He’d been absolutely sure that Ignis had already prepared a whole presentation about _Yet Another One Of Prompto’s Dumb Ideas_ , followed by _What Were You Thinking_ but maybe, just maybe he could get away this time. “No, I know it was stupid. I should have told you or Gladio before I went but my brain kinda switched off there.”

Ignis took a sip of his coffee, listening to him talk before setting the cup down again. “As much as I’d like to be mad at you for putting yourself in danger like that, I’m not. Not entirely, at least.”

Prompto was convinced that his sense of hearing must have been leaving him but just as he was about to intervene, Ignis continued.

“Don’t get me wrong, I still think it wasn’t the wisest thing to do but I almost expected it to go like this. The soulmate tale I told you about… It turned out to be true, is that right?”

“Yes we are. I was pretty sure about it while I was still back here but Insomnia pretty much confirmed it as soon as I went there.”

“That’s what I thought. Remember that bond I told you about?” Prompto nodded. “It’s only logical and natural that you reacted the way you did. Soulmates can usually sense when the other is in danger and as a result won’t be able to make sensible decisions for themselves anymore. The only thing that counts is that their partner is safe.”

He expected to be shocked or intrigued by what Ignis was saying but the shock he was waiting for didn’t come. Everything he’d just said, all of that had happened to Prompto already. As soon as he felt that something was wrong and that Noctis was in danger he was gone, only regretting not telling his other friends for a short while and only before another wave of anxiety and fear hit him. It was kind of weird to hear his friend talk about it so freely and as if it were just scientific facts but he was glad that Ignis was so understanding.

“That makes sense. I really was able to feel it all clearly, it almost overwhelmed me in a way because it was so intense.”

“Still, you haven’t told me how you got Noctis to come back. The gods don’t just let someone return without a solid reason for them to.”

Prompto wanted to explain the whole thing but he knew that it would take ages, especially because he needed to let them all know about the whole Ardyn thing and about the barcode he’d found. Keeping it a secret probably wasn’t going to help anyone at this point. Also, he didn’t want to leave Noctis alone any longer. He’d been sleeping soundly when he left but the thought of him waking up somehow made him want to run back as fast as possible. “Honestly, that’s a long story. Would it be alright if I explain it later? I think I shouldn’t leave Noctis alone right now and I also want Gladio to be here when I tell you guys.” He prayed to whatever god was listening for a miracle to happen and Ignis to actually let him go.

Ignis looked as if he was deep in thought for a minute but then his expression changed and a smirk began to spread across his face. _Wait what?_

“Alright, but we will talk about this later. I think it would be best if Noctis would also be here for it and Gladio as well.”

With that, Prompto stood up and pushed the chair back against the table. “Thanks, Iggy! I’ll see you later then.”

A small wave of guilt overcame him as he looked at his friend who was still sitting at the table, currently occupied with the task of cleaning his glasses until he was sure that every little speck of dust would be gone, another habit he’d never lost. Ignis was obviously interested in what had happened and wanted to know, wanted to help which was more than understandable considering that he just witnessed someone he’d suspected to be dead suddenly reappear out of nowhere. The timing right now was just very unfortunate and Prompto agreed that it would in fact be better to tell what had happened to everyone, including Gladio and Noctis. They were still a team after all and somewhere deep inside he hoped that maybe one day they could do something together again, just like old times. Perhaps a small trip. He would be more than satisfied if it would end up being a short drive to the next lake just to watch Noctis fish and complain about how utterly _boring_ it was. The simple things were the ones he missed the most. Sure, hunting down huge beasts and discovering new cities and places had been amazing and something he was grateful for but what really got them all close and strengthened their friendship were the days spent with seemingly endless driving in the car and the nights spent talking next to the fire.

Now, with the sun shining brightly down upon Hammerhead, the possibility of reliving one of the memories they’d made didn’t seem as bizarre as it once did. Maybe now it got the chance to be more than wishful thinking for once.

The caravan door made a creaking sound that was too loud for the otherwise quiet environment of the room inside. He closed the door behind him, careful to avoid making more noise and instead shutting it even slower than he’d opened it before.

The room inside was dark as a result of the blinds that were drawn in front of the windows. Only a small ray of light was visible on the wall across from the window which erased some of the darkness, making him able to see his surroundings better.

Luckily, Noctis still seemed to be sleeping just as deeply as before, slow, deep breaths filling the silence of the dark room. He’d shifted in his sleep and was now lying curled up on his side with his arms in front of his face and hands holding onto the blanket he was laying on. The way he held onto it seemed utterly familiar to Prompto. It reminded him of the nights he’d spent in the same caravan after Noctis died. He didn’t, of course, he was right here but at that time Prompto would have never dared to hope that something like this would happen. Instead, he held onto the closest thing to him, no matter what it was. Maybe he was simply reading too much into it and his behaviour of analysing Noctis’ sleeping habits was also probably bordering on creepy but he couldn’t stop the ache he felt in his chest as he was faced with this view.

The other also seemed to be cold which wasn’t surprising as it was rather chilly despite it only being afternoon and not late yet. He had pulled his legs up until they were almost up to his chest, curling up in a manner that Prompto couldn’t help but compare to the cat he sometimes saw around Hammerhead. He made a note to himself to show it to Noctis one of these days because the guy had such a soft spot for animals, he’d absolutely love it. For now though, Prompto almost regretted taking off the other’s jacket before he’d went out to talk to Ignis. At least he could’ve covered him with another blanket but he didn’t consider that it would get so chilly.

His gaze fell back upon Noctis’ hands that were still tangled in the blanket, holding onto like a drowning man would hold onto a rock. Before he could think too much about it, Prompto grabbed his own blanket and carefully draped it over the other one to do something against the chill he was probably feeling before sitting down on Noctis’ bed, hoping that the movement of the bed dipping wouldn’t wake him up.

Back when he’d last slept in the very same bed, fingers wrapped around the sheets and body curled up tightly all he truly wanted was for someone to stand by him, to hold him and to assure him that he wasn’t alone, that he was safe even though he’d never admitted it because he was used to telling himself that he was strong enough by himself. Maybe he had been strong in those moments. Maybe he was right whenever he told himself that he could get through this alone and _maybe_ it had all been him lying to himself all along, in denial about things that were right in front of him.

This was probably the thought that finally made him reach out to replace the blankets wrapped around the hand in front of him with his own instead.

Noctis must have noticed this because suddenly his breathing pattern changed, slow breaths changing into faster ones before he shifted a bit, opening his eyes slightly and blinking before they landed on Prompto.

“’s everything alright?” He said quietly, his voice still slurred from just having woken up.

Prompto felt bad for having disturbed the other’s sleep. He really did need it after all that had happened today. “It’s okay, go back to sleep.”

“Cold,” Noctis answered, the word interrupted by a yawn. It confirmed his suspicions of the other being cold.

“Hold on, I’ll get you another blanket.” Prompto said, already getting up again before he felt a gentle pull on his hand which led him to sit down again.

Noctis was looking right at him, his eyes still holding a tired expression in them. “Stay… please?”

The blond was baffled upon hearing Noctis asking him to stay with him in a voice that he could only describe as shy and almost… scared? It wasn’t typical for him to be shy about the things he wanted. It never had been at least but Prompto guessed that they’d all changed in more ways than one.

He’d be a fool to leave Noctis alone now when he needed him and actually went as far as outright say it even though it didn’t seem to be easy. So, Prompto did the only thing he could think of. He pulled his boots off as well and placed them next to Noctis’ shoes before making his way over to the bed again.

Noctis had already shifted a bit to make more room for him, holding the blanket up as an invitation for him to get under it as well.

As soon as he laid down and got comfortable he felt arms wrap around his waist, holding onto him in a manner that was almost too tight yet at the same time the exact thing he only now realized he’d craved for so long. It felt as if he’d spent all this time up until now trying to solve a puzzle that was missing a piece he just couldn’t seem to find no matter where or how long he searched.

Warm, steady breaths caressed the back of his neck and he felt the other nuzzle into it, his hair tickling Prompto slightly. He couldn’t help but push back against the source of warmth behind him and was rewarded by a soft sound of what he guessed was appreciation.

One of his hands found the other one that was resting atop the sheets and he didn’t hesitate to tangle their fingers together, finally filling the spaces between them that had always felt so cold and empty with something he could only describe as warmth and light and _hope_.

The smile that spread across his face felt as if it originated from the depths of not only his soul but the one next to him as well.

The missing puzzle piece he’d been searching for was resting in his hand right now and it fit perfectly into the spot he’d been aching to fill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you so much for reading and let me know what you think :)


	10. Illuminated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some part of his minds still whispered what if this isn’t real but he’d gotten pretty good at not listening to it and instead shutting it out with other thoughts – thoughts of light wrapped around his soul, connecting it with another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I originally planned this chapter to be entirely different from how it actually ended up being but I hope you still like it. :)   
> There's not really a lot of plot development in this one, it's still pretty quiet (aka the calm before the storm winkwink)
> 
> Enjoy!

The first thing Prompto realized upon waking up was the darkness that had settled inside the room whilst he had been sleeping.

The ray of sunlight that had filtered through the window onto the wall across from him was now gone just like the rest of the daylight outside. Despite the blinds still being closed he noticed that he must’ve slept for a good few hours because it was quiet outside and there was none of the usual chatter of other people or the sound of cars passing by. If he concentrated hard enough he could barely make out the distant howling and other noises made by some sort of beast outside. Whatever it was, it didn’t sound close enough to be considered a threat.

His years of hunting daemons in an attempt to fight against the darkness had left him as a fairly light sleeper. He’d never been a considerably heavy sleeper to begin with but the possibility of having to get up, get his gun ready and fight had been keeping him alert and at least half-awake at all times. There were always hunters occupied with hunting down daemons and he hadn’t been able to ever really catch a break since there were just too many threats and dangers waiting to be eliminated. For every daemon they’d killed, ten more seemed to appear. So many of the hunters had given their life in exchange for the sheer _hope_ of winning this endless war against the darkness and back then he wouldn’t have thought twice about doing the same. Sometimes it seemed to him like it had been nothing but pure luck that he survived and got to be here right now because the hunters and him, as well as his friends – they were all the same anyways, one way or another. Unable to accept what had become of their world and instead choosing to fight until the very end. He was always told to learn to pick his battles wisely but that time it seemed as if there wasn’t a choice. They had to fight – he had to fight and if he lost his life while doing so then so be it.

Now, he regretted that he’d been ready to throw his life away so easily. After a while daemons had stopped to scare him. The darkness had stopped to scare him as well but his own thoughts never did. The thoughts of _Maybe I should just drop my gun, wouldn’t it be easier?_ Or _Would it really make such a difference if I just let this daemon kill me? Would I wake up somewhere else? Would I be alone?_

But that was then. That was the past and he felt like it would be better to lock it away where he couldn’t ever find it again because right now the world didn’t seem so dark anymore despite it being night. As long as there were stars dotting the dark sky and illuminating some part of it the thoughts fuelled by darkness wouldn’t catch him – not now and hopefully not ever.

He realized that there was some kind of warmth wrapped around him, more intense across his waist and against his chest. Only now he noticed that Noctis was still here and still asleep as it seemed which wasn’t really a surprise. The thought of him not having lost his trait of always being tired made Prompto smile fondly. They must’ve been shifting around in their sleep because he was now facing Noctis, who was lying on his back and had one of his arms loosely thrown across the blond’s waist, still holding onto him in some way. Prompto’s own arm was placed on the other’s chest as well as his head, which he had tucked underneath his chin whilst he’d slept.

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so comfortable and so safe. Noctis’ presence alone seemed to radiate the feeling of security and familiarity. Whatever was outside of their space seemed to be miles away and whatever lurked in the darkness outside didn’t seem to matter. Times like this were when he could clearly feel the bond they shared even though they hadn’t really gotten a lot of opportunities to be alone like this – calm and secure. They’d been by themselves in Insomnia and when they’d walked back to Hammerhead, sure, but Noctis had been exhausted and Prompto was scared that somehow they wouldn’t make it back.

Some part of his minds still whispered _what if this isn’t real_ but he’d gotten pretty good at not listening to it and instead shutting it out with other thoughts – thoughts of light wrapped around his soul, connecting it with another.

His head rose and fell with each breath Noctis took and he could hear his steady heartbeat interrupting the silence of the room, along with his deep breaths that confirmed that he was in fact still asleep.

Prompto hadn’t meant falling asleep for hours – he hadn’t even been tired. As soon as he laid down next to Noctis he’d fallen asleep almost immediately. At first he only wanted to remain next to him until he was sure that the other one wasn’t feeling cold anymore but apparently that hadn’t worked. He didn’t complain though. How could he? If anything, he didn’t ever want to leave this little bubble they’d created. He knew that they had to go out and face the real world again but it was nice to pretend, at least for a while.

He moved his arm that was placed on the other’s chest down a bit until he could wrap it around his waist. The position they were in was incredibly close and could probably be considered intimate but it didn’t feel awkward to him at all. They’d always been friends and nothing more up until the whole soulmate-thing. Sure there had always been _something_ – at least for him – but he never told anyone, didn’t even allow himself to think about any feelings he had towards whom he’d been supposed to protect. He couldn’t help but think that this was the way it had always been supposed to be, even before they were considered soulmates. Maybe they just didn’t know back then. He’d have to remember to ask Iggy about whether or not this would have been possible but for now he decided to enjoy this moment for as long as he could.

All his problems and everything he’d been confronted with over the past days and hours seemed so small and insignificant now. It was as if every daemon he’d fought combined could break down the walls of the caravan right now and there would be no possibility of the both of them being in any sort of danger. The world seemed to spin without them as long as they were in their own little safe space.

Despite not wanting to destroy this perfect illusion, Prompto was curious to know what time it was because he was still worried about Noctis’ state of utter exhaustion and preferred to at least keep track of how many hours he’d slept already. Ignis was probably doing something like that already because he’d never quite lost his overprotectiveness when it came to Noctis, no matter how long he’d been gone or what had happened to him. Still, Prompto felt as if it was his duty as well – now more so than before. He might have denied his feelings all this time but the urge to _protect_ was impossible to ignore ever since he’d gotten Noctis back.

It felt as if there was something inside him, some voice whispering _warm_ and _safe_ and _protected_ whenever the other one was near or when he got to hold him just like he did now. The same voice was also the one responsible for making him lose his mind along with his control and ability to make sensible decisions whenever he wasn’t near or when he felt as if Noctis was in any kind of dangerous environment. Right now the voice was quiet, only filling his mind with quiet echoes of _mine_ whenever he felt the arm that was still draped over his waist twitch or tighten its grip.

For once he hoped that this telepathic connection they had going on between them also took effect now because it would make a lot of things easier to explain for sure. They’d have to talk about this – about _them_ – eventually, soulmates or not. Accidentally making Noctis uncomfortable was the last thing he wanted to do so it would probably be wise to come clean about his feelings towards him.

A few years ago – back when they were still in high school – he never would’ve been able to even think about confronting the other with his own feelings. He was the Prince after all and what was someone like him in comparison anyway?

Now this uncertainty had faded away slowly, replaced by courage fuelled by the steady heartbeat underneath his head.

He decided to return his thoughts to the task at hand, which was checking the time. The only problem was that he’d taken off his vest before he’d gotten into bed because it would’ve been terribly uncomfortable otherwise. Experience had taught him that the rough fabric didn’t make for the best sleeping arrangement so he’d gotten into the habit of taking it off. Normally he would’ve pulled on a sweater because the caravan tended to get a bit chilly at night but this time he was warm enough as it was, thanks to plenty of shared body heat.

He wondered if he would somehow be able to get himself out of Noctis’ embrace without him waking up. It would most likely be successful considering he’d always been known for sleeping like a log but he also didn’t want to risk it, especially after already having woken him up once a few hours ago.

After a while of laying in the darkness he came to the conclusion that it was worth a try. If the other would begin to wake up he’d just sneak back into his previous position and pretend to be asleep. Sounded like a solid plan.

Carefully, he removed his hand from its place on Noctis’ chest and lifted his head from where it had been positioned underneath his chin. Then he slowly began to turn around, not daring to attempt to lift the arm that was positioned over his waist. That was a risk he wasn’t ready to take because the movement would be sure to alert the other one.

Just as he was about to reach out for his phone, the body behind him shifted, a grumbling noise accompanying it. Prompto froze.

“Wha’sup?” Noctis asked, obviously still half asleep because his speech was slurred like it always was when he’d just woken up.

Prompto quietly cursed himself because he’d failed at being sneaky again. _Stupid phone!_ He should’ve just let it be and gone back to sleep instead. Who even cared that much about a few more or less hours of sleep anyway!

Maybe he’d be lucky and Noctis would just go back to sleep. The guy loved his naps like no other so there was hope, right?

“Just checking the time, go back to sleep ‘kay?”

His response didn’t seem to have the desired effect because Noctis looked at him now, his eyes sleepy but finding Prompto’s own without any issues. “You said that last time as well and then you wanted to leave.”

 _Oh no._ Noctis must’ve thought that Prompto hadn’t wanted to stay with him when he came back to check on Noctis after his short conversation with Ignis. That had probably also been the reason why he’d been so reluctant when admitting that he was cold. Maybe he didn’t want to seem too clingy or something like that when in reality Prompto wanted nothing _more_ than staying by his side.

He also wasn’t used to the other showing affection and actually voicing his feelings like that yet. Sure, they’d always been close and physical contact like sitting close to each other wasn’t unusual or even weird to Prompto but all _this_ was still like venturing into uncharted territory. Noctis had always been rather shy when it came to initiating such contact, even if it was something simple like a pat on the back so seeing him being more open about it now was _new_ , for lack of a better word. Not in a bad way though – the exact opposite, actually. It was new and exciting and maybe the tiniest bit intimidating as well but it made him want to know more, hear more and feel more.

But that could wait until later. For now, he had to make sure to clear up this misunderstanding. “No! No, I didn’t want to leave. Iggy asked me to speak to him outside after I’d brought you here, that’s why I left. I thought you were asleep and didn’t notice.”

Noctis’ expression changed into a guilty one when he realized that he’d thought wrong. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know that. It’s just… this is all still a bit overwhelming to me, y’know? I came back from being _dead_ because of a reason I still don’t know, I have an actual soulmate now and I can’t control what I feel and…” He seemed to think about adding something but then decided to remain quiet, gesturing with his hands that didn’t seem to be wanting to cooperate yet due to him just having woken up.

“It’s fine, trust me. I know how you feel, maybe I know it even a bit too well,” He smiled at the other one who was still laying on the bed, “but we’ll get through this together, just like we always do. I won’t leave.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Wordlessly, they fell into each other’s embrace again, letting their quiet breaths they shared lull them to sleep. Prompto kept tracing the thin, still slightly raised lines of Noctis’ barcode tattoo with his fingertips, hoping to make it disappear just as easily as Noctis had managed to make his doubts about being a part of them disappear back when the sun still rose and set in a rhythm familiar to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading and leaving kudos/comments, I appreciate them a ton <3


	11. Trance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As long as he felt the last rays of sunlight hitting his cheeks, ignoring the past was easy. The hand that was resting in his turned the attempted ignoring into forgetting that came almost as naturally to him as the urge to curl his fingers around the other’s tighter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me: *thinking about how i should focus on the main plot again*  
> also me: *writes this chapter*
> 
> but as always, enjoy :D

A loud noise was what jolted Prompto from his sleep which had been quite peaceful up until now.

He squinted his eyes when he first opened them, trying to adjust them to the daylight. The blinds were still drawn, thank the Six, but despite that the brightness managed to make his eyes sting at first.

The noise sounded again and he recognized it as someone knocking on the door. Whoever it was, he was convinced that they were going to break the door down if they continued to knock as hard as they did right now and _he_ wasn’t going to be held accountable for any damage done to the caravan, thank you very much.

“Prompto! If you don’t wake up I swear to the gods…”

The mysterious voice had been identified. Gladio, of course. He should have known, really. Who else would risk breaking a door down just to get someone to wake up?

“Dude, I’m awake! Can you stop that please?” He yelled, hoping that his friend heard him.

“Finally! I’ve been here for hours! Iggy told me to get you so hurry up and meet us outside… Oh and bring the princess as well, would ya.”

So he already knew of Noct at least. One less thing he’d have to tell him but that still left a thousand other things to explain. Prompto sighed. This would be one hell of a conversation and to be honest, he didn’t even know how to explain most of it himself because it was still hard to believe everything that had happened.

He wondered why Gladio hadn’t just come inside instead of standing outside and knocking on his door for _hours_ – which he was sure wasn’t exaggerated at all. Gladio had done that plenty of times over the past years, on the days where Prompto hadn’t managed to get out of bed himself or simply hadn’t seen the point in getting up and facing the darkness another day. They’d also shared a tent, which had forced them to sleep next to each other so where was the issue now? Prompto would’ve preferred that method over being woken up by thinking something was exploding for sure.

In that moment, the blanket next to him shifted, or rather the heap of blankets. The only thing he was able to recognize in midst of all the white sheets was a tuft of black hair sticking out at the top, serving as a stark contrast to the otherwise light surroundings.

_Oh._

He guessed that he just answered the question why his friend wouldn’t just come in and wake him up himself. Gladio was probably thinking… yeah, what _was_ he thinking? That they’d slept together or something? They’d just come back from Insomnia yesterday for gods sake! Prompto couldn’t blame him though. He’d probably done the same if it were him. And maybe he Gladio wasn’t so wrong after all, if the both of them hadn’t been so tired then _maybe_ … _No, stop that thought right there,_ he told himself, not wanting to make this situation more awkward. Besides, he could already imagine the smug grin Gladio would have plastered on his face as soon as Noctis and him would step outside, most likely accompanying it with a wink directed at them. This day was already off to a great start.

Prompto felt a cool breeze against his arms, wrapping them around his body only to realize that his right hand was being held by Noctis’ own who seemed to have wrapped himself into the blanket they’d been sharing during the night. Not only did he steal Prompto’s entire blanket, he also managed to somehow hold onto his hand which was the only part of Prompto’s body that was warm at the moment.

“Hey, Noct?” He asked.

A grumble sounded from somewhere inside the cocoon of blankets, indicating that the other was awake, even if his mood probably wasn’t the best right now. Noctis right after being woken up wasn’t exactly the embodiment of a ray of sunshine and one would do best to keep some distance, to put it that way.

As much as he didn’t want to disturb him, he had to get him up and outside somehow because the others were waiting. The fact that Noctis still hadn’t managed to kick his habit of being so grumpy when he woke up was endearing somehow even if Prompto wasn’t going to tell him. Ever. Because then Noctis would take it as a perfect opportunity to continue to do so.

“It’s not nice to steal all the blankets, other people are freezing over here y’know?” He tried to sound serious but the smile that spread across his face must have been audible in his voice.

The complaint about being cold seemed to have done something because the blanket was lifted and wrapped tight around the both of them mere seconds later. Before Prompto even got the chance to complain, the chilly morning air seemed to have vanished and instead replaced by warmth that could almost be considered a bit too warm. If this had been any other situation he probably would’ve fallen straight asleep again because he was so warm and comfortable right now but they just didn’t have time for yet another nap right now.

“Noct, we need to get up. You probably heard Gladio.”

His words were answered by a groan, sounding suspiciously like a yawn.

“Just five more minutes? Please?” Noctis begged, looking at Prompto from under his hair that had fallen all over his face, covering his eyes with black strands.

Prompto sighed. “You can sleep later, alright? I’m sure you wanna talk to the others again too. They won’t believe me that you’re back if you don’t come along, hell, I don’t even believe it myself.” He chuckled quietly, moving in an attempt to try and peel the blanket away from Noctis who seemed to have turned into a child again because he was holding onto it for dear life. If he was like this now, how had he been when he was a kid? Ignis must’ve had a ton of fun trying to get the young Prince out of bed in the mornings. Maybe he had some secret tricks in store. Another thing he’d have to ask his friend.

“Looks pretty believable to me.” Noctis said, looking at him now that he succeeded in taming his hair before flopping down onto the bed again.

“Ugh, Noct, come on. You’re insufferable.” Prompto groaned, reaching out to shake his shoulder before remembering the other’s weakness. Ignis wasn’t the only one with secret wake-up techniques.

Slowly, he removed the hand from his shoulder to deliver a pinch to his waist. At this, Noctis gave a high-pitched squeak and finally, _finally_ moved into what could be considered a sitting position before looking at Prompto with a look of betrayal in his eyes. “Don’t you dare ever do that again! How do you even still remember this?”

“Oh try me,” Prompto said, reaching out again whilst doing a pinching gesture with his hands. Noctis moved away from him as if he’d been burned.

“Fine, fine, I’ll get up.” The other said, quickly standing up and making his way over to the bathroom. Prompto had to suppress a laugh when he heard the quiet _traitor_ Noctis said under his breath.

 

***

 

“So what you’re trying to say here is that Ardyn suddenly came back too? Noct coming back is already bizarre enough but _him_?”

Gladio stared at Prompto and Noctis with wide eyes. The both of them tried to tell everything that had happened to the others, careful not to leave out any important parts. Prompto couldn’t help but notice that it really did sound weird as hell when he had to explain the whole thing to his friends. Insomnia, Ardyn, their way back – everything seemed so unbelievable.

Thankfully, Gladio had forgiven him as well for the stunt he’d pulled when he ran away alone. Ignis had been nice enough to inform him about the connection between soulmates and after a while Gladio had been pretty understanding. But not after letting Prompto know that it had been absolutely _idiotic_.

“Pretty much, yeah.” Prompto replied, positively exhausted after talking as much as he had.

“Did he say anything else besides the fact that he’s supposed to be immortal?” Ignis askes, clutching another steaming cup of coffee between his hands. His distressed state was obvious, even if he tried to hide it. He’d always had a habit of consuming an unholy amount of caffeine whenever he found himself in a stressful situation and this was his third cup of coffee already, if Prompto counted correctly.

“I mean, he also said that he was going to ‘cut our bond’ or something like that but I think that he was just trying to provoke me. Or us, for that matter.”

“Not trying to be a killjoy here but that sounds kinda bad to me.” Gladio said, running his hand across his face.

Next to him, Ignis sighed. “He’s right, that really does sound concerning and we should take it seriously even if it sounded like he was just trying to provoke you. What I’m most worried about is the fact that he knows about you and Noct being soulmates. Usually that’s not easy to find out.”

Noctis decided to speak up again as well. “I told you guys about my Dad, right? He warned me about something, at least I think he did. He definitely knew something was wrong. Maybe he knew all along but it’s not exactly like I can ask him.”

“But why would he send you off to Altissia if he knew about the soulmates-thing all along?” Prompto paused before continuing, “Oh, Iggy I wanted to ask you if it would have been possible that Noct and me were soulmates all along? Before the ten years and all that?”

“I have to admit that I honestly don’t know whether that would have been possible or if the gods bonded you shortly before Noctis came back. I’ll try to find out as much as I can but I’m afraid there aren’t a lot of reliant sources on that topic. It’s considered a tale by most of the people nowadays.” Ignis said, sounding deep in thought.

“My Dad knew that it wasn’t just a tale. He always told me about it when I was younger.” Noctis replied, “I really wish I would’ve asked him more about it when I had the chance.”

“You didn’t know, don’t worry too much about it. What’s done is done. We’ll just have to see where we’ll go from here because right now Ardyn is our biggest problem.” Gladio said, looking at Prompto and Noctis who sat across from him.

“I guess you’re right. So, what will we do next? Sitting around and waiting for something bad to happen won’t help us.” Prompto exclaimed. His friends all seemed to be thinking about possible solutions but it was such an unfamiliar situation that they most likely wouldn’t miraculously come up with one. Even Ignis seemed to be at his wit’s end and kept pushing his glasses up frantically.

“That’s correct but we will have to gather more information before we attempt to make a plan on how to proceed. I’ll be sure to find any information I can and I’d advise you do the same.”

“I can ask Iris when I go back to Lestallum as well. Maybe she knows something. She always used to be fond of all kinds of tales when she was a kid.” Gladio added to Ignis’ words.

“Thanks, guys. I… We really appreciate it.” Prompto said, looking up at them. Noctis nodded as well, agreeing in silence.

Gladio just smiled at them. “No sweat, we gotta stick together now that we got Noct back, right?”

Both him and Ignis stood up and began to walk into the direction of the diner again, most likely starting their research on the whole topic of Ardyn. They really owed them.

“Prom?”

The voice startled him out of his thoughts, which Prompto hadn’t realized he’d been so occupied with this entire time. “Hm?”

Noctis looked at him before continuing, “You wanna join me on a walk?”

It was quite an out of character thing of Noctis to request. He’d never been fond of _just taking a walk_ and was glad whenever they could resort to the car instead of travelling by foot but Prompto wasn’t going to deny. He was curious what the other had in mind.

“Sure, where are we going?”

“Not far, just around Hammerhead. I haven’t seen a lot of it since I came back.”

“It’s not really that interesting but I’ll show you everything that’s changed if you want to.” Prompto answered, still a bit confused about the sudden question.

“I’d love to, actually.” Noctis said, smiling at him and offering his hand to Prompto who didn’t hesitate a second before taking it.

They started walking around aimlessly, their hands staying connected the entire time. It didn’t feel awkward or weird to Prompto, if anything it felt as if he’d done this a thousand times before. He’d held Noct’s hand a few times up until this moment, sure, but never when they were both really aware of it or when other people could see. It was late afternoon by now so a lot of people were strewn across the area, some of them hunters who had a drink to celebrate another successful mission and some of them waiting until their next targets came out, the ones that liked the dark more than the broad daylight.

There were also other civilians that had taken opportunity of the newly gained daylight and used it to visit Hammerhead again after all these years. Most of them had taken refuge in Lestallum and Prompto was sure that they were all glad to get out of there for once. He’d never been able to live there. He tried once but it just wasn’t for him. Squeezed tightly between hundreds of other people, all of them desperate to find a room they could live in or even just a small piece of ground to set up their tent. He always felt as if he’d be better off at least trying to do something even if it was only fighting tirelessly against hordes of daemons that seemed to grow in numbers by the minute.

But that didn’t matter right now. As long as he felt the last rays of sunlight hitting his cheeks, ignoring the past was easy. The hand that was resting in his turned the attempted ignoring into forgetting that came almost as naturally to him as the urge to curl his fingers around the other’s tighter.

“Are you feeling better now? You didn’t look so good when we arrived yesterday.” He decided to ask Noctis, breaking the comfortable silence they’d fallen into.

“Yeah, a lot better. I don’t know what was wrong with me, I was just so tired it was crazy.”

“Well, some things never change, right?” He joked before looking at the other who was walking next to him. The slowly setting sun lit up his face, tinting it with warm colors that made his eyes twinkle. The sight before him seemed to capture Prompto entirely, his eyes drawn to the dark shadows on Noctis’ cheeks as a result of the sun shining upon his lashes. “For real though, I’m glad you’re better now. I don’t want you to collapse on me here.”

Noctis chuckled. “So does that mean you wouldn’t try to catch me? I’m disappointed, how did you even pass your Crownsguard training?”

By now they’d almost circled back around to the caravan again where they’d sat with Gladio and Ignis during their conversation from before. They were standing behind the shop, the sun no longer blinding them and hidden from the curious glances of other people.

“Is that doubt I hear? Of course I’d catch you, who do you think I am?” Prompto answered, imitating Noctis’ teasing tone from before.

“Oh would you now,” Noctis said, standing closer than before. The suddenly reduced distance between them made Prompto swallow, overwhelmed with not knowing what to focus on except for the other’s eyes that were right in front of him now. He didn’t know when this had happened – maybe the sun had been blinding him for real – but he couldn’t say that he was complaining. The eyes in front of him were still the same shade of blue as they’d always been. The same eyes he’d looked into when he first met Noctis and whenever they spent time together after that. It didn’t matter where they went – they could travel all around the world for all he cared – they always stayed the same. Such a small, trivial thing as a simple shade of color could bring him so much familiarity. Only now he realized that he’d let himself drown in them, everything around them seeming like something that was above the surface of the ocean he was in right now. He felt like a rock being thrown into the sea – sinking slowly was impossible, instead he hit the surface with such force that it made him sink right to the bottom.

“They still look the same, you know,” Noctis interrupted, pulling him out of his thoughts, “your eyes, I mean. This sounds so weird but I just realized…”

He didn’t know what it was that made him pull Noctis closer or what gave him the courage to place his arms upon his shoulders, crossing them behind his neck and resting their foreheads together. Maybe the ever-burning lights inside of him were to blame, little magnets that seemed to attract each other, never letting up until they touched. Maybe it was also just the small part inside of him that he’d locked away and silenced for so long finally, finally crumbling down.

They were both quiet for a moment with the only sound being the breaths they shared, enjoying the feeling of being close to each other again. They hadn’t been this close in the past, not like _this_ , but it still felt as if they’d found the very thing that they were searching for. Prompto couldn’t describe it if he tried but he knew that this was where he wanted to be.

Noctis, who had been quietly looking at him from under his eyelashes pulled away a bit so he’d be able to properly look at him. One of his hands came to rest against Prompto’s jaw, sending a wave of warmth right through his body. The blond saw Noctis’ gaze wander away from his eyes until it settled on his lips. The thumb that had been cupping his jaw disappeared and was instead placed against his bottom lip, caressing it lightly, the action being accompanied by some hesitance.

Noctis’ eyes snapped up again, locking onto his own once more. “…Can I?”

For a split second Prompto wanted to ask what he meant just to be sure that he wasn’t imagining all this or simply misunderstanding the entire situation. Maybe he would have, if not for the fact that the expression Noctis held in his eyes was a reflection of what he felt course through his entire being. So instead of saying something he settled for a nod, his eyes fluttering closed.

This must have given Noctis enough reassurance because Prompto felt the pressure against his lips disappear and being replaced by the feeling of lips against his own. Even though he tried to mentally prepare himself for this moment, his plans of where to place his hands and how to move his lips were thrown out the window before he could even attempt to remember them.

The feeling of kissing someone he’d never kissed before probably should have been strange or unfamiliar. From what he’d experienced, first kisses were never perfect and always a little bit awkward because it just took some getting used to being so close to someone. With Noctis though, none of these so-called rules applied. Their lips slotted together as if they’d done this for a thousand lifetimes before this moment. The feeling of how easy and utterly _perfect_ it was almost kind of intimidated him because he’d never felt anything like this before. Sure, he’d kissed plenty of people before. Some of them he’d known for a longer amount of time, some of them he’d been in relationships with and some of them he’d only known for a few minutes, those being sloppy kisses whilst being intoxicated most of the time. None of them had felt like this. None of them had been able to send electricity through him quite like Noctis could.

He’d been so caught up in this moment that he was almost startled by the tongue nudging against his lips, parting them immediately. The feeling of their tongues chasing and teasing each other combined with the ability to taste Noctis sent a whole new wave of buzz through him, only making the desire inside him grow more intense by the second.

Prompto guessed that Noctis must have felt the same because he heard a small groan from the other, so quiet that he would have missed it if he weren’t so utterly entranced by the sheer presence of him. After some time they separated, looking at each other again. Noctis’ face was flushed, a light blush having settled onto his cheeks and the usual blue color of his eyes almost invisible now. Instead, it was replaced by diluted black pupils that gave him an expression that could almost be considered hungry. Prompto felt like prey under his stare yet it didn’t make him feel trapped or scared, it only made a smirk appear on his face, _daring_ the other to do something, to try and capture him.

He’d expected their kiss from before to resume but instead the mouth he’d been expecting settled onto his neck, placing small kisses down upon it. When Prompto leaned his head back against the wall of the garage behind him, Noctis didn’t miss the chance to take advantage of the new area of skin he now had before him. Suddenly he bit down, making Prompto unable to suppress the yelp that escaped him. Noctis immediately stopped and pulled back.

“Sorry, did I hurt you?” He asked, his tone worried. He must’ve thought that he’d overwhelmed Prompto with his actions, which he did to be fair, but not in a bad way at all.

“Do… do that again,” Prompto instead replied, looking at him from half-closed eyelids.

Now that he realized that he hadn’t scared Prompto away, it was Noctis’ turn to smirk. “Didn’t take you for the biting kinda guy.”

The blond didn’t know what to say, still a bit breathless after their kissing from before. He didn’t expect Noctis to be so bold but who was he to complain?

“Apparently I’m full of surprises.”

Noctis shook his head, chuckling quietly and not waiting another second before continuing to give Prompto’s neck more attention, now that he’d gotten more than enough permission to go ahead.

If the words from before weren’t enough, the quiet whimpers that escaped Prompto with every little bite and kiss he felt definitely were. He tried his hardest at keeping more or less quiet because they were in a public place after all, even if it was highly unlikely that someone would come here and see them. He tilted his head back more, feeling Noctis’ lips against his jawline. He continued placing small kisses there before venturing downwards a bit, sucking on the skin of his neck once more. Just as he started to sink his teeth into it slightly, another sound escaped Prompto’s parted lips, something that sounded closer to a moan than a quiet whimper by now. He knew that they had to stop because this was most definitely not the right place to let this continue further, even if he _really_ didn’t want to put an end to it.

He curled one of his hands around the back of Noctis’ neck, his fingers curling into the hair there. “Noct, we gotta stop,” he said, his voice quiet and even more breathless now.

The other placed one more quick peck on his lips before taking a step back from him. “You’re probably right, I got a bit carried away there.” Noctis answered, trying to make his hair look more or less normal again.

“It’s fine, it was… nice.” _Now_ it was getting awkward. Talking was just not his thing.

Noctis grinned. “Sounded like it. And by the way?”

“What?” Prompto replied, already feeling himself getting flustered.

“I hope you have a scarf hidden somewhere.”

“Oh shut up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading, i hope you liked this chapter! <3


	12. Penumbra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’d just been there. A calm, quiet presence sitting next to him by the fire instead of following the others into the tent and getting the sleep that would benefit him for sure. During those times, Noctis chose to just sit there, just be there and making Prompto forget what loneliness even felt like.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> This chapter has taken me some time because I've been so busy this week (and also because Comrades came out so you can probably guess what I've been doing in my free time *cough*)  
> Anyways, enjoy! <3

“So, what’s up?”

Noctis’ voice seemed to be cutting through the silence that had fallen between them.

“Nothing, why are you asking?”

“You look miles away. I know that expression, spit it out already.”

Of course he couldn’t fool Noctis. The guy seemed to have some kind of sixth sense when it came to emotions and thoughts of other people. He often tried to uphold a cool and uncaring exterior but Prompto knew that this wasn’t the case, even though it had taken him a while to realize this particular trait of the other.

He’d only really come to realize it during their trip to Altissia. Whilst they were on the road, they were together day and night and barely ever separated because it was dangerous and there was simply nowhere to go without his other friends following. Sharing a car, a tent, hotel rooms – There wasn’t any time left to be by himself. Well, maybe except for showering but besides that being alone hadn’t been part of his vocabulary anymore.

Which wasn’t saying that he’d never been _lonely_. He’d felt lonely plenty of times in the past because his parents were away most of the time, business trip after yet another business trip. They’d never seemed to catch a break, not with him at least. After he’d become friends with Noctis, he’d felt less lonely – and also less alone – as he got to know him better. They always met at school in the mornings after Prompto tried to quietly enter the classroom because he was late most of the time – never failing to blame his hair for _just being impossible to style without it looking like a literal chocobo nest_ – just to be met with one of Noctis’ familiar teasing smiles or a quiet, snarky _‘really, again?’_

After school they’d gone straight to the Arcade whenever time – or Ignis – allowed it. As the months passed those trips got less because of Noctis’ agenda which seemed to get busier each day and Prompto had never known how he dealt with it so well, seeming calm and put-together all the time. That was probably mostly thanks to Ignis but still. Prompto was known for having a small crisis whenever he had two appointments in one week so comparing himself to Noctis put an even bigger gap between the two worlds they’d lived in.

Even back then Noctis had always seemed to be able to read his thoughts. Sometimes it was simple things like knowing which movie he wanted to watch or where he wanted to eat. Other times he seemed to know that Prompto was upset about something before he himself even really knew.

During their roadtrip this weird sense of _Reading Prompto’s Mind_ had continued.

The four of them often found themselves sitting around the fire in the evenings, enjoying one of Ignis’ cooked meals whilst chatting to each other about the events of the day or about random topics they came up with. Noctis had always had a tendency of tapping around on his phone, not appearing to be involved in the conversation at all but back then Prompto realized that this was not the case. He’d paid more attention than Prompto had given him credit for and Noctis had confronted him about what he’d talked about more than once.

It had always started just like it did now. A simple _‘What’s up?’_ to cover up a concerned voice Prompto _knew_ was there underneath the entire seemingly cold exterior. Noctis wasn’t the type to outright say that he cared or that he wanted to help but after a while Prompto didn’t need or expect words anymore. The other had given him more than enough comfort and care without a single word being spoken. He’d just been _there_. A calm, quiet presence sitting next to him by the fire instead of following the others into the tent and getting the sleep that would benefit him for sure. During those times, Noctis chose to just sit there, just _be_ there and making Prompto forget what loneliness even felt like.

“I’m just worried. About this whole… thing.” He finally answered, looking down at his hands he’d clasped together in his lap.

Noctis leaned back a bit in the white plastic chair until he almost hit the caravan behind him, crossing his legs and looking at Prompto. Immediately, the blond felt trapped under his gaze. “So you regret it, is that what you’re trying to say? You could’ve told me, you know. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable or… force you.”

So far this was _not_ going well. Noctis was probably thinking that Prompto regretted kissing him, which wasn’t the case at all. If anything, it was the best thing that had happened to him since… years, most likely. Damn his inability to express himself or his feelings.

“Noct, that’s not what I meant. If I hadn’t wanted it I would’ve told you, you know that.” He stopped for a moment before continuing, his words now nothing more than a quiet mumble. “Besides, I think it was obvious that I liked it.” Again, he felt himself blushing, which he’d been trying to avoid because it seemed so out of place right now.

Noctis looked serious at first, making Prompto question whether his attempted explanation had been enough. After a few seconds he just chuckled, seemingly relieved. “Don’t scare me like that! I thought that you were too scared to say anything or something like that!” He then leaned forward again, trying to catch Prompto’s gaze. “What is it then? This _thing_ you keep talking about?”

“Everything we’ve talked about with Gladio and Ignis today. What happened in Insomnia, Ardyn, you, _us_ …” Prompto stammered, looking down at his hands that were still resting in his lap once again, not letting his eyes wander to Noctis.

“Prom, listen,” He reached out, carefully parting Prompto’s hands and taking one of them in his. The effect was immediate and surprising, even though Prompto should’ve been used to it by now. Somehow he doubted that he’d ever be used to something like this, a part of his brain going completely blank as soon as they touched. “Hey, if you don’t wanna talk about it anymore, that’s fine. As I said before, I won’t force you. Hell, I couldn’t do that if I tried.” He sent Prompto a reassuring smile. “You don’t owe me anything even if we’re soulmates now. Just know that I’m here if you need me, alright?”

“It’s not that I don’t _want_ to talk,” Prompto began, not sure how to say this, “I don’t even know what to think to be honest. Like, I thought that Ardyn was just bluffing when he said those things about cutting our bond but Gladio and Ignis sounded pretty worried. Did you see Ignis’ face? The last time I’ve seen him that worried was back when you disappeared and the search was stopped!” He quickly felt himself starting to ramble and regretted the words as soon as he’d spoken them. He never wanted to tell Noctis about what had happened after he’d disappeared because he was sure that the other would be better off without hearing about it.

They’d searched for him all over Eos, Glaives and Hunters alike but they couldn’t find the smallest trace of Noctis and his whereabouts. Prompto knew that as soon as he mentioned it, Noctis would want to know everything that had happened. He’d want to know as much as he could about every year, every month, every _minute_ he hadn’t been there with them because he still saw it as his duty after all.

The lack of knowledge about where the Prince, or rather the King was eventually led to anger and disappointment of the people, most of it directed at his Kingsglaives that had been supposed to protect him and failed at that. Prompto didn’t blame them. The first time he’d received stares and hushed comments filled with hatred he’d been hurt and angry and unable to understand but after a while he’d understood. Everyone had been looking at the same dark sky. The sun hadn’t risen for anyone. They were all hoping and suffering, some of them in silence and some of them in loud anger.

Surprisingly, Noctis didn’t seem to be wanting to ask further question on the topic of his disappearance. It was probably hard for him to talk about as well. Maybe he was okay with only knowing as much as he did. Maybe that was already more than enough, Prompto didn’t know exactly. He hadn’t asked Noctis about the meeting with his father either because he felt like that particular memory wasn’t meant to be shared between them. He knew that Noctis would probably tell him more about what had happened in that in-between world he’d been stuck in if Prompto directly asked him – Noctis had never had a lot of trouble talking to him about things like that, things that Prompto would only have stammered about if it were him.

Sometimes, his own habit of isolating himself as much as possible from his problems until he could _pretend_ they didn’t exist didn’t seem like such a safety blanket anymore. Especially when he met people that could openly talk about whatever was bothering them, no matter how complicated or trivial the problem might be. Noctis had always been one of those people – if there was anything on his mind, it didn’t take a lot of convincing for him to just say it, the only thing holding him back at first being his pride.

Even though Noct and him were complete opposites when it came to something simple like _talking_ , they’d never collided negatively when it came down to it. Noctis seemed to understand without him having to say anything about it. Sure, he tried to pry into his thoughts he liked to keep to himself from time to time but just as quick as he started, he stopped again, retreating to a safer distance.

But one thing was different now than it had been in the past; they were soulmates now – practically the closest, most personal bond two people could possibly share. Something about that made Prompto feel more at ease and filled him with hope that maybe one day he’d be ready to open up a bit more. He wasn’t there yet, that much was clear but he’d get there someday.

“Iggy’s right though. You only saw a small part of what Ardyn is capable of and if he got even the tiniest bit of his power back we have a good reason to be… careful, at least.”

“I’m not saying that he’s not dangerous or that we should take this as a joke. We should probably just wait and see what the others find out about it before we try and do anything on our own.”

Noctis hummed, quietly agreeing to what Prompto said and looked up at the sky.

The warm daylight had slowly begun to fade away, the mountains in the distance now looking like inky black silhouettes upon an orange canvas. The view of the sunset was still unfamiliar to Prompto, making him question reality with every small glimpse of the sun he got. Night was so normal to him now, having served as some kind of darker day for the past decade.

How he wished that he could just erase the past ten years from his mind. Back when he’d first become interested in photography, the thing that enthralled him the most was how alike his memories and his camera were. The only difference was that pictures gave him something to hold onto, a memory printed upon something physical he could hold in his hands. A picture meant that something had been real, had really happened. His mind could forget – his camera couldn’t, only if he deleted something willingly which meant that he had complete control over what he wanted to keep and what he didn’t want to save. He couldn’t always control his own mind, as weird as that sounded.

He’d always been scared of forgetting. Forgetting small moments that had meant so much to him when they’d happened – it was unavoidable yet he felt anxiety run through him whenever he thought of it. That was also why he’d saved all his photographs and always kept them close, especially when the distance between himself and people that were featured on the pictures only seemed to grow day by day.

The big difference he’d noticed quickly was that deleting a picture was as easy as pressing a button, maybe two. His own memories couldn’t just delete themselves if he wanted them to. Once his eyes had captured them, lids serving as a shutter, they were etched in there forever.

He was so lost in his thoughts again that he didn’t notice the worried eyes looking at him, having torn themselves away from the setting sun, watching it reflect on his thoughtful face instead. Next to him, Noctis sighed.

He probably wanted to say something to Prompto, ask him again if he really didn’t want to talk and then reassure him that he could anytime if he changed his mind. But he didn’t. Prompto was already searching for words again, searching for yet another excuse that Noctis would see right through anyway. Knowing Noctis, he’d probably found out already and knew better than to try and pry further.

“So, about that nap you promised earlier…” He began instead, attempting to make light of the situation. Somehow it seemed to work because as soon as the topic changed, locking those thoughts away again was easier, as if the key he’d been looking for had appeared right in front of Prompto.

He tried to match Noctis’ smiling expression when he looked up at him. “You tired already?”

“You know me. Ten years of sleeping isn’t enough, I need at least five more minutes.” Noctis answered. That made Prompto laugh out loud because _five more minutes_ had most definitely been one of Noctis’ most common used phrases back on their roadtrip and after a while it had become some kind of inside joke to all of them.

“Noct, you’re hopeless I swear,” He said, having managed to stop his laughing fit, “but fine, it’s getting late anyway so we might as well.”

They stood up from the chairs before turning off the small oil lamp on the table and went up the stairs of the caravan. Inside, the bed was still unmade which immediately made the small room look rather messy, especially with one of the pillows lying on the floor.

Noctis closed the door behind them. “Uh, do you think I could borrow one of your shirts? I didn’t exactly bring any clothes with me.” He said, scratching the back of his neck absentmindedly.

Only now Prompto realized that they both hadn’t changed into different clothes last night, Noctis crashing as soon as he laid down and Prompto himself falling asleep shortly after even though he didn’t intend to.

He started rummaging through the small dresser, finding a shirt that was a bit too big on him so it would hopefully fit the other. “Here, this should fit. I don’t know about you but I really need a shower. You mind if I go first?”

Noctis caught the shirt that had been thrown at him. “Nah it’s fine, I can wait.”

Prompto chose a shirt of his own and made his way over to the small bathroom, undressing himself and getting under the spray of hot water as soon as possible. The warmth relaxed his muscles instantly, making him aware of how tense they’d been before. He rolled his shoulders, trying to get all the tension out and started to wash his hair.

He really didn’t want to get out but he also knew that the hot water was limited and Noctis would never let him hear the end of it if he used it all up before the other got a chance to shower. So, he forced himself to step out of the shower again, the chilly air making him crave the warmth of the shower again. Instead of giving into that urge he rubbed his hair dry as much as he could with the towel and then put his shirt and boxers on.

As soon as he opened the bathroom door he noticed that something was wrong. Something was so utterly wrong. The feeling of being utterly overwhelmed by someone else’s emotions was back once again, only this time it wasn’t just anxiety. This time, it was something between disappointment and… rage? Betrayal? Defining it was hard because the heaviness of it made his head spin, dizziness threatening to gain the upper hand.

Before he could think about it, he scanned the room for Noctis who was sitting on the bed, sleeves rolled up and head bowed down to look at something on his wrist. He didn’t turn around upon hearing Prompto exit the bathroom, only clenching his hand into a fist.

“When were you planning on telling me about this?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't resist that little cliffhanger sorry


	13. Saturnine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He didn’t trust his voice nor his body not to give him away and looked at the floor, a whispered “Leave” being the only thing he could manage to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> Just a quick warning before this chapter: There are mentions/descriptions of panic attacks in this one so if this affects you please read with care <3  
> Other than that I hope you'll like it!

Back when Prompto was in Insomnia, trying to rescue Noctis from something unknown, a danger he couldn’t estimate, Ardyn had entered the throne room just before he’d reached his goal. Back then, he’d frozen on the spot, unable to move even an inch more, unable to do as much as twitch a finger because it could give him away to someone that had spotted him long ago anyway.

He’d been on plenty of hunts, some of them simple and some of them life threatening and utterly lethal if one wrong move was made. The lives of multiple people depended on one single person more times than he could count. Sometimes, that one person had been him and sometimes, he had made a mistake. Back then, he’d also frozen, standing in the darkness, clutching his gun and trying to force his voice to shout commands he knew were too reckless yet not enough at the same time.

In those moments, time seemed to stand still, the world no longer spinning, leaving his head dizzy with the movement lost.

Right now, he felt the same.

The clock on the wall ticked, indicating that time had in fact not stopped, at least not yet. The ticking sounds cut through the silence like a knife, feeling like tiny needles going through his body.

He should’ve known that Noctis was going to find out eventually. He’d been so naïve thinking that he’d be able to hide something from Noctis when that very thing he was trying to hide was situated right on the outside of other’s wrist, black ink serving as a stark contrast against the pale skin. Really, it was pure luck that he hadn’t found out up until now because the chance had been almost comically high. He knew that the wisest thing would’ve been to just tell him, even if it was difficult. Noctis deserved to know what was going on. Prompto couldn’t remember ever feeling so miserable, so much like he’d hurt the person that was his only stability at the moment, the person he wanted to protect the most.

Noctis’ anger and disappointment cut right through him, making anxiety rise up and dotting the room in front of him with small black circles, threatening to take over his field of view. He knew that Noctis probably tried his hardest to stay calm at the moment but it didn’t work, of course it didn’t. Prompto didn’t expect him to be calm in a situation like this yet he had no idea how to approach him, what to say, whether he should say anything at all. He had to fix this or else he’d never forgive himself. It already felt as if a piece of him was torn out from somewhere deep inside, deeper than bone.

He swallowed. “Look, I… I’m so sorry okay, I should’ve told you, I know but…”

“You’re sorry? Really? Can’t you lie any better than that?” Noctis’ voice was full of venom, having adopted a tone Prompto had never heard before, at least not directed at him. The only time he’d ever heard Noctis talk like that was when it had been directed at Ardyn or maybe at Ravus back when they’d recovered the Regalia from an imperial base.

“I wouldn’t lie to you.” He said, trying to make his voice sound confident but it came out sounding more like a whimper than a clear statement.

Noctis chuckled, raising his hand up to take a closer look at it. “I should have known that something was wrong. I thought all of this meant something to you! Did you even mean anything you’ve said to me or are you _sorry_ about that as well?” Noctis replied, quoting the word _sorry_ with his fingers.

“What’s that supposed to mean? What does that tattoo have to do with us?” There, he said it. For the first time, he’d mentioned the barcode tattoo to Noctis, erasing any hope of keeping it a secret from him inside his mind.

Finally, Noctis turned around. Prompto instantly regretted letting their eyes meet as soon as they did because the calm ocean inside Noctis’ eyes had changed into a storm, lightning striking all over, dangerously close. “Oh I don’t know, you tell me! You’re the one that seems to know everything about Ardyn!”

“That’s because he talked to me right before you woke up and you know that, I told you! I even told Gladio and Ignis, do you really think I’d lie to all of you? What kind of person do you think I am?”

“Hard to believe when I’m the one that’s been turned into some fucking monster!” Noctis yelled, anger radiating from him, filling the whole room.

Prompto tried to stay collected, tried not to let his demons get to him. _Some kind of monster._ That’s really all he was after all, right? _He’s just angry, he doesn’t mean it, he doesn’t…_

“Some monster? Is that all I am now? You even said yourself that it doesn’t matter, that this stupid barcode doesn’t define me so you shouldn’t let it define you either! We don’t even know what it means yet so you should just calm the hell down!”

“I don’t know what it means but I’m pretty sure you do!”

“I told you I don’t know! Ardyn didn’t tell me anything about it for all the gods sake, we’re not exactly best friends in case you didn’t know!” His voice slowly started to match the volume of Noctis’ own, making it hard to keep calm himself. Usually, he was good at avoiding arguments and left the scene whenever one threatened to break out or he stopped it before it could get out of hand. This time though it was different. The topic of that stupid code was so incredibly personal to him and even thinking about it still hurt even if he tried to not let it show.

Noctis looked deep into his eyes, trapping him under his gaze. “No wonder he wouldn’t tell a failed experiment about his next one.”

 _No._ No, Noctis hadn’t said that, he couldn’t possibly have said something like that. Noctis had never brought up his past life or his experiences from Gralea. They’d all silently agreed that it was something they’d never bring up again not only for Prompto’s sake but for all of them.

Tears threatened to spill, Prompto’s vision already becoming foggy. Through it all, he saw that Noctis’ eyes were still focused on his own but now the blind rage was ceasing, slowly being replaced by realization of what he’d just said. Regret followed, making Noctis’ clenched fists become loose again and taking all the tension out of his stance.

Prompto suddenly felt so utterly vulnerable and he couldn’t help but think that he probably looked like a kicked puppy already. If the circumstances were any different, he wouldn’t have been ashamed or scared to show vulnerability or sadness in front of Noctis because he was most likely able to sense his emotions anyway, if the way Prompto had felt his anger before was any indication.

He didn’t trust his voice nor his body not to give him away and looked at the floor, a whispered “Leave” being the only thing he could manage to say.

At first he thought that Noctis would do just that, that he would walk out the door without any words being spoken. Instead he stood up and passed the door, attempting to grab Prompto’s arm, most likely wanting to soothe him. “Prom I’m so sorry, I wasn’t thinking I don’t…”

“No _I’m_ sorry. Sorry that fate chose some… monster like me for you. I wish this had never happened.” His voice cracked on the last part, every cell of his body struggling to form the sentence. It was a lie, nothing but a lie and he knew. They both did.

“You don’t mean that.”

_No, I don’t._

“Yes I do. Leave. I need to be alone right now.”

_Stay. I don’t want to be alone. Not now, not ever._

“I am so sorry.” Noctis said, turning around and closing the door behind him. It was dark outside, clouds covering the night sky, not even the moonlight being able to filter through them.

As soon as the door closed, Prompto was unable to hold his inevitable breakdown back any longer. All his life he’d been scared of this happening, of someone that was important to him leaving him because of his past. He regretted not being more careful. Surely he would’ve been able to keep his tattoo hidden somehow? Maybe then he could’ve acted like he had no idea what the mark on Noctis’ wrist meant now. Maybe then he would still be here and they would be lying next to each other rather than being separated by this stupid argument.

Over the past few days he’d grown attached to the bond Noctis and him shared. He hadn’t thought about it a lot because to him it didn’t seem to require much thought at all. It all came so naturally – holding Noctis didn’t feel like he was intruding somehow, their kiss hadn’t felt awkward or anything like a first kiss should feel at all and talking was so easy.

Now he got to feel the less pretty sides of their bond. The sudden, unwanted separation felt as if his chest was being squeezed tight, making breathing deeply unbearably difficult.

He was still in shock over what Noctis had said. _A monster, a failed experiment,_ everything suddenly a synonym for his own name. Ever since he’d been a child he’d known that he wasn’t normal, not like everyone else at least. The blood running through him wasn’t purely human, his veins feeling as if they were buzzing with electricity under thin, pale skin.

He ran his hands through his hair frantically, fingers twisting into blond strands and pulling at them, his head bowing down until it was resting against his chest which had lost all its usual rhythmic rise and fall from his breathing, now replaced by short breaths.

This was bad. He knew what panic attacks felt like, having had some experience with them when he’d been younger. They usually started like this – breathing changing into gasping until he felt as if he was about to pass out but at the same time his heart raced, making him feel dizzy from all the necessary oxygen he was lacking. It felt like drowning, only this time he had no one to pull him back to the surface, to take his hand and breathe with him until he felt safe again.

Even though he’d told Noctis to leave him alone he didn’t mean it for a single second. What he said hurt – it still did and it would for a while – but the terrifying feeling of being alone in a time like this dominated his anger at Noctis.

He grabbed his phone that was in the pocket of his pants which were lying on the floor, relief flooding through it upon holding it in his hands. Trembling fingers struggled with unlocking the phone until they finally succeeded in dialling the number Prompto wanted them to. If there was anyone that would know what to do in this situation it would be Ignis. He’d seen Noctis grow up, experienced all his moods and he’d probably lived through his fair share of arguments with the Prince as well.

“Yes?”

As soon as Ignis picked up, Prompto started to regret his choice of calling him. He was still trying to calm down, trying to breathe steadily. It didn’t work.

“Iggy, listen I…” Before he could even start to explain what had happened, he choked on his own breath because he’d been breathing too fast again, control long gone.

“Prompto, are you alright? What happened?” Ignis sounded concerned, having heard the quick breaths on the other end of the line.

“Noct, he – we…” He began, making another attempt at forming anything close to a coherent sentence but his attempt was soon interrupted by a whimper that escaped his throat. He felt control slipping further away the more he tried to talk

“Prompto, you need to breathe. Don’t try to speak, just breathe.”

Ignis’ voice was soothing, radiating calmness even through the phone.

“I’m trying but…”

“Breathe. It’s alright, we can talk as soon as you’ve calmed down a little. You’re safe, nothing is going to happen.”

This time, Prompto remained quiet and didn’t try to talk again, focusing on his breathing just like Ignis had told him to. His friend was silent as well, sometimes making quiet shushing sounds whenever he heard Prompto beginning to breathe quicker again. After a few minutes he could already feel a difference, his lungs felt as if they were filling with air again and the heaving of his chest seemed to have ceased.

“Thanks, Iggy” He said, his voice sounding a bit steadier than before despite it still trembling a bit, “I’m really sorry you had to hear that but I didn’t know who to call and you’re the only one who knows what to do and…”

“You’re rambling.” Ignis interrupted him. “You don’t need to apologize, I’m glad you called me when you did. Forgive me if this is intruding but what happened to Noct? Shouldn’t he be with you?”

“That’s why I called, actually. We had an argument.”

Ignis was quiet for a moment. Prompto heard him take a deep breath. “Why? What happened?”

“You know about the barcode tattoo I have on my wrist, right? The one that opened the doors? You haven’t seen it because I’ve worn bracelets all the time but I talked about it back when we were in Zegnautus Keep.”

“Of course I remember. Go on.”

“So, long story short… Before Noctis woke up I saw that he had the same mark on his own wrist. Back in Insomnia, I mean. I haven’t told him or you guys because I didn’t know how and now he’s discovered it on his own before I got the chance to tell him.” He waited for Ignis’ response, hoping that he wouldn’t be mad at him for keeping it a secret.

“I see,” He began, sounding lost in thought, “and I assume he didn’t take it well?”

“You could say that. It kinda uh… escalated and he said a few things that hurt me so I told him to leave.” He hoped that his friend wasn’t going to ask what exactly Noctis had said because he really wasn’t in the mood to repeat the words over and over again. They were already occupying every small corner of his mind anyway but saying them out loud gave everything another perspective. One that was intriguingly more real.

On the other end of the line, Ignis sighed. “This really is a complicated situation. Noct can be rather stubborn when it comes to apologizing or admitting that he’s done something wrong so I’d advise you give him some time. He’ll come around eventually.”

Prompto let out the breath he was holding in, relieved that Ignis didn’t ask about the exact content of their fight from before. “He wanted to apologize. He did, actually but I sent him away before he really got the chance to.”

“You shouldn’t blame yourself for that though. Clearly you were upset and shocked so it’s understandable that you wanted him to leave.”

“I guess but I still feel bad about it. If I’d just let him apologize...” He stopped for a moment, feeling his eyes water again and trying his hardest to hold back the tears, “…He wouldn’t have left and we could’ve talked about it and… ugh, I shouldn’t have kept it a secret.”

“Oh, Prompto” Ignis said, chuckling a bit, “You know how quick-tempered he can be at times. It’s okay for you to be hurt, especially when it was a topic that’s personal to you, even if it concerns him as well now as it seems.”

“I know that I should probably be a lot more pissed than I am but it feels as if this is all just wrong. He’s gone and he shouldn’t be, y’know?”

“That’s soulmates for you. Arguments and disagreements between the both of you will always feel unnatural and like something that’s not supposed to happen despite it being normal.”

Ignis sounded like he truly understood what Prompto was trying to say even though he felt as if he was only talking pure nonsense and it gradually calmed him down again. “This bond really is something else. When you first told Gladio and me about it I thought you were kidding but now it’s as if it’s always been there. I can’t remember him not being with me anymore and that’s what hurts the most.”

“I have to admit that I’m not an expert either, I’ve always regarded it as a mere tale until I saw Noct and you. I can only imagine what it must feel like but I’m sure you’re going to be alright. Noct wouldn’t let you go.” He said calmly as if there was no doubt about it.

“Thanks, Iggy. And also, I’m sorry that I haven’t told you guys about it either but I was so overwhelmed with everything that I just couldn’t.”

“As I said, you don’t need to apologize. The situation you were in wasn’t easy, that’s for sure and you handled it well the way you did. There’s more than enough time to talk about it once Noct and you have resolved your argument.”

Prompto was quiet for a moment, noticing that he hardly had trouble breathing anymore. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I’ll talk to him tomorrow, I think looking for him right now would do more harm than good.”

“That’s what I think as well. I can try and speak to him first, if you’d like?” Ignis asked.

“No, it’s alright, I think I’ll manage. But seriously, thanks again for… dealing with me and all. I don’t know what I would’ve done otherwise.”

“Anytime.”

They both said their goodbyes and ended the phone call. The room was once again filled with silence and Prompto couldn’t help but immediately feel worse again now that he had no one to talk to again, nobody to distract him. He was more than grateful for Ignis’ help and for him not freaking out over his little breakdown he’d had. Prompto felt as if he really understood the argument Noctis and him were having at the moment, probably because he knew them both so well. He’d known Noctis a lot longer than any of them had after all and right now this seemed to be an advantage. If there was one person who knew how to handle an irritated and disappointed Noctis the best then that would surely be Ignis. Prompto was his soulmate but sadly that didn’t come with step by step instructions on how to influence the emotions of one’s partner, they’d both just gotten thrown in there and had to figure it out for themselves somehow.

He thought about Ignis’ words, about Prompto being allowed to feel hurt and sad and even angry over what Noctis had said to him. Of course he was mad – that was what had made him tell Noctis to leave – but he wasn’t absolutely furious or anything like that.

For now, the pain he felt because of them being apart from one another was much more intense than the one he felt because of Noctis’ words. It overshadowed the agony he was in because of the reminder he’d gotten about being some kind of experiment and maybe partly MT. Even the electric buzz he felt in his veins when he really focused on it wasn’t strong enough to compare. Normally it wasn’t painful for them when they were physically separated, that would just be unbelievably inconvenient after all. He guessed that all this aching in his chest was coming from them being miles away from each other on a different level but he couldn’t say for sure. All he knew was that it hurt and he just wanted to run outside, find Noctis and never let him leave ever again but he shouldn’t. He needed time and Prompto had to respect that in order not to make things worse than they already were.

For now all he could do was wait and hope. The sun had to set in order to rise again and maybe they’d manage to do that too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was super hard for me to write (I don't like having them argue ugh) buuut it's not gonna stay this way forever, I don't wanna give too much away though :)  
> Thank you for reading and let me know what you think! <3
> 
> you can also find me on [tumblr](https://solislucinus.tumblr.com)


	14. Rue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis might as well have cast a spell because Prompto felt himself unravel underneath it, a feeling so sudden it made him gasp quietly. Describing it as feeling weak would be wrong, he felt caged and held in place yet some kind of strength accompanied it, making breaking out an easy task if he’d choose to do so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really liked writing this chapter so I hope you guys are gonna enjoy it as well! ^.^  
> And also: There are no more descriptions of panic attacks in this one so you don't have to worry about that :)

Prompto picked at his breakfast absentmindedly, separating the different foods from one another with his fork. He’d almost succeeded in pushing all the scrambled eggs into one corner when a voice interrupted him.

“You should eat.” Ignis said, turning away from the kitchen counter he was standing at, putting the spatula he’d held in his hand away and let it rest against the pan where the rest of the scrambled eggs were most likely still cooking.

“I know, I’m just not that hungry. Sorry.” He replied, still not stopping in picking the food in front of him apart.

It was early in the morning, the sun only beginning to rise over the horizon in the distance slowly. He hadn’t been able to sleep at all which didn’t surprise him the slightest. His thought had kept him up all night, kept him on his feet and running even though he’d been too tired to think. The events from the last evening were still clouding his mind, disappointment and anger mixing together with worry and regret. Prompto was still upset and hurt over what Noctis had said and it would probably stay that way for quite some time because mentioning such a sensitive topic to find some way to justify something in the midst of their argument was just irresponsible and low, to put it simple.

Despite that, he was worried due to the fact that he hadn’t caught a glimpse of Noctis all night and he was nowhere to be found now either. He hadn’t asked Ignis yet, luckily his friend had somehow sensed that he wasn’t in the mood to talk about what Prompto had told him during their phone call and had instead stayed quiet about it up until now.

Prompto was grateful, he really was but the tension that had built up in the room could be cut with a knife and he knew that he’d have to talk about it sooner or later.

He probably gave off a gloomy aura because as soon as he’d entered the diner that morning he was immediately met with a lot of worried glances of the people all around him. He didn’t even know most of them because Hammerhead had become just as popular again as it had been before the sun disappeared but he felt as if they all knew exactly what had happened. He could still feel their stares whilst he was looking at his plate, not daring to take his eyes off of it.

“You can eat later if you want to, I can put some of it in the fridge and you can get it later.” Ignis said. Prompto could tell that he was trying to hide his worry. At least he made an effort to hide it.

“Yeah, that would be nice. Thanks.” He responded, sighing and looking out the window again.

Ignis was quiet for a second but out of the corner of his eye Prompto could see that he hadn’t turned away from him yet. “Have you not slept well? It’s not usual for you to be up this early and without an appetite, I might add.”

There it was. The question Prompto had been waiting for. He knew that this was Ignis’ less direct way of urging him to tell him about what was bothering him, even though they both knew already. “Not really. Guess I wasn’t tired.”

That excuse might have worked had he not struggled to hold back a yawn as he spoke. Ignis seemed to have caught onto it quickly as he heard the tone of Prompto’s voice change, giving away that he was indeed a lot more tired than he pretended to be.

Ignis crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Nice try but your acting skills need some improvement, I’m afraid.”

Prompto remained silent. This conversation had been inevitable anyway; he might as well get it over with now. He’d managed to call his friend last night in the middle of a goddamn panic attack so why was it so hard to be open and honest about what had happened right now? Why couldn’t he just admit that he was in fact tired as hell and say _‘No I haven’t been able to sleep for a single second because my brain wasn’t able to shut up’_? But then again, last night hadn’t felt real at all and if it weren’t for the fact that Noctis wasn’t sitting next to him like he _should be_ then he’d probably pass it off as some weird vision or something.

“Gladio asked me to accompany him to Lestallum today, he thinks that Iris might know something of value about soulmates and all. You can join us if you’d like, perhaps the distraction would do you good.”

Prompto was glad that Ignis apparently chose to abandon the topic of his sleeping habits. He probably considered it a lost cause, no wonder. He thought about his friend’s suggestion for a second but he knew that Ignis had most likely just asked him in order to change the topic rather than thinking that Prompto would actually agree.

“Nah it’s fine, I still have some… things to do here. Say Hi to Iris for me though!” He mumbled rather than spoke the first part. _Things to do_ was a nice way to say it. What he meant was that he’d have to somehow find Noctis because he still had no clue where he was and after that they’d somehow have to resolve this stupid argument without starting another fight. Prompto knew that it would be a lot more logical for him to wait for Noctis to apologize but their bond cared about no such thing as logic. A few days ago he would’ve had no problems giving someone that had insulted him on such a personal level but then again, he hadn’t had a soulmate at that point.

“Well, if you say so. We’ll be back by tomorrow as far as I know.”

“Alright, I’ll try not to miss you too much.” He anwered, trying to lighten the mood that was still just as tense as it had been when he’d first sat down. His fingers tapped next to the plate in front of him, which was still full of the picked-apart remains of something that once had been scrambled eggs. With the way its contents looked now, one could only make a vague guess.

Ignis sighed. Prompto knew that sigh, it was the one his friend would always do whenever he was completely, utterly fed up with something and it looked like Prompto had taken the role of that _something_ now.

“Prompto.”

“Uh yeah? That’s me?”

“Go and talk to him already. Sitting around here and sulking won’t help anyone. Neither you nor him.” Ignis said with a matter-of-fact voice, almost as if this was the most obvious solution ever. Which it kind of was but then again that was easier said than done. A conclusion Prompto had come to because of his nonstop contemplating how to actually approach Noctis. Or if he should approach him at all.

“I haven’t even seen him since yesterday! He’s probably running away from me right as we speak!” Prompto responded frantically.

“He’s feeling guilty, of course he’s not going to follow you around. I’m certain Noct thinks that you don’t want to see him at this point, you told him to leave you alone after all so he’s only doing what he thinks you’d prefer him to do.”

“But I don’t want him to _leave_! I mean, I did want him to yesterday but I didn’t really… Ugh, why does this have to be so damn complicated?”

Ignis took a few steps into his direction, lowering his voice a bit because they’d be sure to attract attention from the other customers soon if they continued their heated discussion like that. “I’m not trying to make you feel bad about saying that yesterday. It was probably for the better that you did it, Six know how long you would’ve been fighting otherwise. Believe me, I know Noct can be stubborn but the only reason he hasn’t come back to you yet is due to the fact that he thinks you’d send him away if he did.”

“Iggy, he called me a literal monster yesterday yet it physically hurts be to be separated from him like this. I could never send him away even if I wanted to and trust me I tried. I wouldn’t just forgive someone for pulling shit like that.”

“I know that but he doesn’t. You told me that the both of you can feel each others emotions if I recall correctly,” he stopped, pushing his glasses up before continuing, “so if that is true then you’re both feeling the way you do right now as well. You’re both in pain yet he chooses to hold back until you decide to talk to him.”

Prompto let his friends words sink in. What he’d said made sense, considering their bond. The pain he was in right now was the very same one Noctis was in and he didn’t want that. He didn’t want that at all.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Ignis continued, “I’m not saying you have to forgive him. What he did was hurtful and insulting towards you on a very personal level, most people wouldn’t even consider accepting an apology for a thing like that. My only suggestion is that you should at least attempt to talk about it so you’ll be able to find a solution that you’ll both be able to live with because it won’t resolve itself.”

Prompto huffed quietly. “I know you’re right. I guess I better go and find him then, right?”

“You do that. Just be careful.”

“Sure. I’m still gonna kick his ass though.”

Ignis agreed with a chuckle. “That already sounds more like the Prompto I know.”

 

***

 

Prompto’s first idea after he exited the diner was to check his phone for any calls or messages he might have missed. Trying to call or text him was probably the first thing Noctis would do. Well, the way he knew the other, a message would be more likely as he often seemed to prefer texting over actually talking in the past. Especially when it came to touchy subjects that had a high chance of him needing to have a conversation about something he’d rather avoid.

The only problem was that he couldn’t find his phone. It wasn’t in the pocket of his jeans like it normally was and he hadn’t used it whilst eating breakfast as well.

Sighing, he walked over to the caravan, letting his gaze wander over the whole area of Hammerhead. The sun had fully risen by now and reflected off of the shiny surfaces of the cars and the windows, making everything appear a bit brighter underneath the blue sky that was lacking any clouds for once. Still, there was no sign of Noctis.

He couldn’t have gone far, that was for sure, because where would he even go? Hijack a car? Crawl back into the crystal and avoid Prompto for all eternity? Even with Noctis’ tendency of pushing all his problems as far away as possible it was ridiculous.

As he pushed the door open, he was immediately met with the sound of the shower running. Relief flooded through him at the realization that he wouldn’t have to organize some kind of search party because there was only one person who could be showering right now. At least he hoped so.

He sat down onto the bed, waiting until Noctis was done. Whilst he waited, he tried to sort out his thoughts and decide on what he wanted to say. Up until now he hadn’t really thought about what he wanted to talk about once he had the opportunity and that was probably a mistake because time was running out. He didn’t even know how we was supposed to start. _Hey buddy, I know you hurt me and I threw you out in the middle of the night but let’s just forget about that?_ No matter which way he tried to put it, everything sounded either too simple or too complex.

His fingers curled and uncurled again, nails digging into his palm as his anxiety started to grow. Prompto knew that technically he wasn’t the one at fault here but somehow it still felt as if he was. What if Ignis was completely wrong for once? What if Noctis hadn’t just said the things he’d said as a result of their heated argument?

He rubbed his fists over his eyes that were squeezed closed, trying to relieve some of the tension behind them that was slowly but surely threatening to cause a massive headache. He grumbled. That was just what he needed now, on top of everything that was already there.

The moment of the shower finally turning off was bound to happen all along but the sudden stop of the noise of the water running still caught him by surprise. It was so silent now, the only audible sounds being the quiet dripping of water onto the shower floor and footsteps from inside the bathroom. A lock being unlocked and then opened.

In another situation he would’ve been in stitches for sure upon hearing the shocked yelp Noctis made as he left the bathroom and saw Prompto sitting there, only a few steps away from where he stood. Right now, it violently pulled him out the depth of his thoughts, making him look up at Noctis who immediately met his gaze. The icy blue stare was magnetic, pulling him in and not letting go. The more he tried to struggle, the deeper he sank. Noctis looked at him with a mixture of emotions, one Prompto couldn’t pick apart even if he wanted to. He wasn’t sure if he _did_ want to.

Noctis might as well have cast a spell because Prompto felt himself unravel underneath it, a feeling so sudden it made him gasp quietly. Describing it as feeling weak would be wrong, he felt caged and held in place yet some kind of strength accompanied it, making breaking out an easy task if he’d choose to do so.

Every argument he’d thought out in his head over and over again seemed to have vanished completely. Whatever that bond was made of, it was incredibly strong and unforgiving. His instincts told him not to talk, not to risk messing everything up more than it already was at the moment. Instead, the only thing he wanted to do now was to forget that anything bad had ever happened between them at all and lay Noctis down next to him, making them both unable to remember.

But he knew that if he gave into that urge, it would only be a fleeting moment of pretending because they both knew that they’d have to address the situation sooner rather than later. Even if their bond seemed to have taken a liking to developing a mind of its own.

“Prom, what…?” Noctis stammered, his voice shaking as if speaking those two words was the most difficult thing in the world right now. Prompto couldn’t blame him, not for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> do I sense some making up happening here?


	15. Celestial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’d seen Noctis’ walls crumble down in front of him, because of him, and it made everything feel so much more real.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was originally planning on getting this chapter done so much earlier but due to exams and all that I've been super busy lately, sorry about that!  
> Still, I'm actually pretty happy with how this turned out so enjoy :)

The silence was absolutely deafening.

Noctis looked as if he’d just seen a ghost which, to be fair, might be a more or less fitting description. He still stood in the doorframe of the bathroom completely frozen, his hands clenched to fists and his posture tense. The picture in front of Prompto couldn’t be further away from the Noctis he knew and loved, the usual calmness that seemed to emanate from him at any given time.

Sighing, he patted a spot on the mattress next to him, gesturing for Noctis to sit down. The other hesitantly stepped closer and sat down but not without leaving some distance between them, their legs not touching like they normally did whenever they sat next to one another. The tension was still visible all around him, shoulders strained and fists resting in his lap. Prompto wanted nothing more than to uncurl those fingers and fit his own between them, giving Noctis something to hold onto but he kept telling himself they had to focus on the more important issues right now, however scary that might be.

“So, I guess we should… talk?” Prompto facepalmed mentally. _Smooth._

“Listen,” Noctis started, trying to catch Prompto’s gaze, “I fucked up, I really did. If you need some time I completely understand but I need you to know that I’m sorry.”

Prompto knew that he told the truth, that he really did regret it. There was no doubt about it, not as long as he found himself being pulled in by those deep blue eyes in front of him. They made him want to choose to either sink or swim and maybe, just maybe he could allow himself to sink for just a moment.

“I think we both know that it’s probably not the best thing for us to be apart like this.” He replied flatly, voice a lot more quiet than he expected it to be.

“I noticed but I didn’t want you to feel like you had to forgive me or anything like that. I said some horrible things and I can’t just… erase them from your memory now, y’know?”

“Well, it’s still my choice if I wanna stay or not and trust me, I do still want to be with you,” Prompto said, stumbling over his words a bit, “I can’t forgive and forget just like that even though I wish I could.”

Noctis looked down at his hands. Prompto immediately felt cold without those familiar eyes focused on his own. “Good, ‘cause I didn’t plan on leaving anyway,” He chuckled before continuing, “and as I said, I understand. I don’t expect you to forget about something like that. I guess I was just shocked and overwhelmed so I didn’t realize what I said. That’s no excuse but it’s only fair for you to know.”

“I should’ve told you sooner anyways but I was too scared to do it. To be honest, I expected it to turn out like it did.”

Next to him, Noctis’ eyes were boring into the barcode on his wrists. The delicate lines were slightly raised as if the ink was still fresh, as if the needle injecting it had been removed just hours before. Noctis carefully ran his thumb over it, the gentleness of the action surprising Prompto. Maybe it was because the mark still hurt? He didn’t dare to ask.

“That still didn’t give me the right to treat you the way I did! Hell, you’re the most important thing I have and I almost lost you!”

Prompto didn’t expect that outburst at all and he was more than a bit taken aback by it. He didn’t know how to reply to Noctis stating his feelings as obvious as he just did. To someone else, it might have sounded like just another sentence, just another cliché yet Prompto knew that there was more to it. The only time Noctis truly opened up to them was on the night before his death when they were all sitting around the campfire for what they believed would be the last time.

The picture of Noctis standing up, the choked-up words of _You guys are the best_ were burned into his mind forever. He wasn’t the person who made himself so openly vulnerable for everyone.

“Hey, c’mere,” Prompto said, not able to stand the distance between them any longer. It made him feel lightheaded in the worst kind of way.

Cautiously, Noctis scooted closer, eyes focusing on him once again. Prompto didn’t have to think, it was as if his subconscious acted itself, pulling the other closer and into a tight embrace. He felt Noctis burrow his head into the crook of his neck and buried one of his hands in the damp strands of black hair, scratching at his scalp in what he hoped would bring him some comfort.

It didn’t take long until he felt arms being closed around him, returning the affection. Small whispers of _I’m sorry_ were the only thing between them now, getting more quiet by the second.

Prompto knew that it wasn’t the wisest thing to do, that it was still too soon with wounds that hadn’t fully closed up yet but he was tired of resisting whatever small voice screamed inside him.

He removed the hand that had been running up and down Noctis’ back and tugged at his hair slightly, not enough to hurt but enough to make him look up again with a look of confusion in his eyes because of Prompto’s sudden change in actions.

Something inside Prompto snapped and before he got the chance to question whether this was right or wrong they were kissing.

It wasn’t anything like their last kiss behind the garage. Not worse – just entirely different. It wasn’t full of heat and fire, instead it was slow and sweet and everything that Prompto didn’t know he needed. The voice inside him was muted, making him able to concentrate on how Noctis moved against him. He still hadn’t managed to shake off his remaining hesitance just yet and Prompto could feel it everywhere. The way the hands around his hips weren’t gripping as tight and the way the lips upon his own were so much softer, as if Prompto was something utterly delicate and fragile which could be shattered in seconds.

In the midst of all that caution, small cracks of passion could still be found, leaving heat behind in all the places the other touched. It was the same heat that had made Prompto tilt his head back until his neck was fully exposed, daring Noctis to mark it with something other than lines of black ink, making vulnerability something he was no longer scared of. It was also the same heat that made him want more, made him chase after a release he didn’t know where to find other than at the hands of the person before him.

The feeling made his fingers that were still tangled in strands of hair curl around them tighter and tilt Noctis’ head slightly.

A small noise of content escaped from both of them, a silent agreement that this was good, that they’d found each other again.

Despite neither of them taking initiative to deepen the kiss further it was still intimate enough, enough for Prompto to feel so close to the other again. Maybe even closer than the last time they’d done something like this because now he knew that there were no more secrets between them and nothing he had to worry about in the back of his mind. He’d seen Noctis’ walls crumble down in front of him, _because of him_ , and it made everything feel so much more real.

The hand that was still entangled in black strands relaxed before Prompto pulled back, putting more distance between them once more. He was met with a view that made him want to dive back in immediately. Noctis was sitting there with his hair even messier than usual, pupils blown wide and pink lips swollen. Prompto was sure that the pretty blush on the other’s cheeks was most likely matching his own by now because he certainly hadn’t been prepared for this.

The hands on his hips were still resting there, giving him a feeling of security. He realized that Noctis’ posture was also a lot more relaxed now and he didn’t look nearly as tense anymore. Quite the contrary seemed to be the case because all that tension and anxiety seemed to have been replaced by a shy smile. Prompto couldn’t help but smile in return.

“So that happened,” Noctis said, eyes focused on the blond again. The blue color seemed to be returning to them slowly, replacing the deep black.

“Sure did,” He replied, hesitating a bit before replying, “I’m glad. Missed ya.”

“I was gone for a day.”

“So what? Don’t ruin the moment!”

At that, they both laughed. Prompto took the opportunity to reach behind him and take Noctis’ hands into his own, a comfortable silence settling between them once more.

“Seriously though. Thanks for not… throwing me out again instead. I didn’t expect this to go so well.”

Prompto smirked. “Don’t flatter yourself, I still told Iggy I’d kick your ass.”

“Wait, he _knows_ about all this?” The other exclaimed, visibly shocked by what he’d just been told.

“You know Iggy. He realizes everything ages before we do.” He hoped that Noctis wasn’t going to ask questions as to why exactly Ignis knew about their argument and how. As far as he was concerned, Prompto wasn’t one to open up about something so personal that easily.

Noctis would only feel guilty if he knew that Prompto had to go through a panic attack because of him and he really didn’t want the other to blame himself even more than he already did right now. It was partly his fault, sure – but still, he’d only have another crisis and Prompto wasn’t sure how many more he’d be able to take today. It was only morning and he’d already had his fair share of them.

“Prom, he’s gonna kill me. This is the last time you’re seeing me alive. If I were you I wouldn’t only sit there right now, just saying.”

“Stop being so dramatic, he didn’t even sound that mad when I told him. Maybe he won’t speak of it ever again if you’re lucky,” Prompto chuckled.

“Not _that_ mad? Oh wow, that’s truly reassuring.” Noctis said whilst rolling his eyes, still speaking in a tone that was way too dramatic to be considered serious.

“Ugh, you’re the worst. I just have to say it again.”

“You sure about that?”

“Definitely. A hundred percent.”

“Let me show you how much worse I can get then,” Noctis said, smirking at him from under his bangs, voice suddenly low and husky in an overly exaggerated fashion.

The sentence combined with the look Noctis was giving him made Prompto laugh out loud because this was simply ridiculous.

Still, he didn’t stop the arms that were wrapping around his waist once more.

 

***

 

Gladio and Ignis had returned from their short trip to Lestallum just as promised, maybe even a bit earlier than Prompto had expected them to. He thought that the traffic in Lucis would be insane right now, with everyone wanting to return to their homes at once but apparently his friends had been lucky not to get stuck in it. The four of them were currently looking for a place where they could talk undisturbed because apparently they’d gained some information.

It was noon and Hammerhead was bustling with customers – an image that was still slightly unfamiliar to him after only seeing it being full of hunters for a decade. Where there once had been only silence, the air was now filled with distant chatter of people all around. The sight calmed him, the déjà vu that led him to think that maybe some things could in fact return to the way they’d once been, even trivial things like this.

Noctis and him had decided to sleep in up until about half an hour ago when they’d finally gotten up. If he was being honest, the decision to stay in bed that long hadn’t really been his but who was he to complain. Yesterday had been spent with some more talking, both of them careful to avoid any topic related to their argument. Whilst Noctis’ words were still haunting his thoughts if he didn’t pay attention not to let them, he also didn’t want to carry a grudge. They both had their own demons to deal with and thankfully they seemed to play well together – maybe because they were the same somehow.

In the evening, they’d eaten what Ignis had put away for Prompto in the morning. Miraculously, there’d suddenly been two plates in the fridge which only helped to prove his theory that Ignis did in fact seem know everything before he did and he couldn’t avoid the frown that spread across his face at the thought of him being so easily predictable. At least it had gotten them some extra food.

They’d fallen asleep fairly early after that. Prompto had expected it to feel more than a bit awkward to lay down next to Noctis again, but that hadn’t been the case at all. In comparison to the last sleepless night he’d had, it was pure heaven to finally be able to sleep again. As soon as the other’s arms had wrapped themselves around his waist again, he’d felt at home. He’d pressed his whole body against the source of warmth behind him, only to be held tighter. The position had given him the perfect opportunity to run his fingers across the code on Noctis’ wrist, treating a mark he’d considered to be ghastly up until that moment with a lot more care and gentleness than he’d ever thought he would.

In the past, he’d tried everything he could think of to get rid of the one on his own wrist. He’d clawed at it with his nails whenever it had made him feel like he wasn’t good enough, tried to burn it off when he’d been alone and scared before Aranea had stopped him. Nothing had ever worked; it had obviously been made to stay with him.

Looking at the ink on Noctis’ wrist made him feel almost apologetic toward what he’d put himself through, all the pain he’d felt because of it – all the pain he’d made himself feel. He never wanted Noctis to experience anything close to that. Underneath his fingertips, he’d felt the raised lines and in that moment he was sure that both of their marks were more or less identical. He hadn’t had the chance to compare the numbers of their codes yet – but one thing he was sure of: They’d been made in the same place.

In the morning, he’d still been in the same position with Noctis curled around him and it had made him feel so safe that he’d wanted nothing more than to remain there forever. In that moment, he’d finally understood the other’s dislike against having to get out of bed.

He’d woken up to the sensation of something touching his wrist so lightly it almost tickled. He didn’t have to open his eyes to see what – or rather who – it was, but he still did. His wrist had been uncovered entirely, the only thing protecting it being the fingertips caressing it. As long as he was with Noctis, his bracelets didn’t matter so much anymore. They were lying on the floor next to them and for the first time in his life, he didn’t feel the urge to put them on again immediately.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally we're getting back some of that fluff!! Lemme now what you think - it's always appreciated <3


	16. Gravity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I already said I’m fine.” Noctis said, speech slurred into something Prompto had to concentrate on in order to understand.
> 
> He smiled, expression laced with concern, “You don’t sound fine, buddy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *climbs out of the endless pit of all my exams and Ignis dlc feels* so how is everyone?

“Is this some kind of secret meeting or what’s all this hiding about?”

Instead of just sitting down inside the diner or on the chairs in front of the caravan, Gladio and Ignis hadn’t hesitated a second before leading all of them towards the most secluded corner Hammerhead had to offer. Prompto was glad that they were his friends, otherwise he’d already be convinced that he was in the process of getting kidnapped. Noctis didn’t look any surer of the situation, eyeing the others with an expression that was probably supposed to say _this better be good_.

“We won’t occupy you two lovebirds for long, don’t worry.” Gladio smirked, sitting down onto one of the wooden boxes that were stacked in the corner.

Noctis’ looked at him, annoyance now clear in his eyes. “Well?”

“We didn’t get any information regarding the soulmates tale from Iris. She said that she’s only heard of it once or twice but that’s all there is.” Ignis began, crossing his arms.

“She doesn’t know anything? That’s too bad. I really would’ve liked to know more,” Prompto replied, “don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you asked her and all but… was that your top secret message?”

“Nah, we didn’t wanna shock you,” Gladio answered, “According to her, Ardyn might be closer than we thought.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Noctis exclaimed, worry underneath his angry tone. That had always been his best defense mechanism, or so Prompto suspected. He never showed weakness, not if he didn’t absolutely have to. Breaking down his walls was an utterly impossible task for most people but Prompto? He could see right through his act.

“Iris told us that she’d gone on an excursion to Galdin Quay with other hunters from Lestallum. Now that the daylight is back, they want to rebuild it as well since it was one of Lucis’ biggest tourist attractions and they had too see how much damage they’d have to deal with. She wasn’t entirely sure but she suspects that Ardyn was there.” Ignis explained.

“Wait, why would he go to Galdin Quay of all placed? What could he possibly gain from it?” Prompto was more than a bit confused upon hearing this.

“Spa day? Guy looks like he could use it for sure,” Gladio laughed, “No, seriously though, we’re just as lost as you are. She did say that she’s not sure so maybe it could have been someone else.”

Ignis hummed. “I’m certain it must’ve been him.”

“Huh? Why?” Prompto asked.

“Just think about it. She went on a trip with hunters from Lestallum which means that she’s most likely familiar with them so if it were one of them, she would have recognized that person from her group. There’s also no logical reason as to why civilians would be there. It’s still an off-limits zone for now.”

“That makes sense. I’d also recognize that weird coat anywhere.” Prompto shuddered.

“I think we all would.” Gladio said, smiling at him reassuringly. He probably knew that Prompto was trying his best at not showing his fear in front of them. Prompto could, he knew that they wouldn’t judge him, especially when it came to someone such as Ardyn. Someone that had once almost pushed him over the edge of wanting to abandon his own friends. Someone that had made him believe that he simply wasn’t enough for as long as he could remember. Still, just like worry coated with anger was a defense mechanism for Noctis, isolating himself from what he wanted to feel, what he _felt_ , was his. During the last decade it had never paid to show fear so why start now?

“Was there a boat?” Noctis’ question interrupted his thoughts.

“A boat? She didn’t mention one but we didn’t think to ask. Why?”

“Why else would he go to Galdin? It’s pretty much the only place with some kind of port. Well, next to Caem but I don’t think he knows that. Maybe he’s after Angelgaard? Or Altissia, even?”

“Good point, but why would he need a boat for that? He has plenty of Imperial ships he could use to fly there.” Gladio countered.

“It would give him away. Nobody knows that I came back so why would anyone know about him?”

Noctis had in fact made a good point. Ardyn was still after nothing else but power and he’d go to great lengths in order to obtain it, Prompto knew that much. Angelgaard, the place where Noctis had woken up and the gods always seemed to be a little closer to earth, seemed to be the most logical option.

The thought made him shiver. He scooted a bit closer to Noctis who was sitting next to him, closing the little gap between the outside of their thighs. Noctis started to run one hand over his back, rubbing soothing circles onto it, up and down until he came up to the back of his neck where his fingertips started massaging softly. There was no need for any words to be exchanged as Prompto leaned into the touch. Suddenly, the shady corner he was in felt like something completely normal and familiar, like home.

“Sounds a bit far-fetched if you ask me,” Gladio said, rubbing his neck, seeming to be thinking whether or not this possibility was worthy of checking out.

“Noct could be right. It wouldn’t be beyond Ardyn, that’s for certain and this might be a starting point for us to consider.” Ignis answered.

“I say we go check it out then. I really don’t wanna wait until he decides to show up out of nowhere if I’m honest.” Prompto said, trying to sound confident about it.

“And what are you guys planning to do once we find him? Tell him that he should go back to wherever he came from?” Gladio asked, still not convinced that this was anywhere near a good idea.

Prompto had to admit that his friend did have a point. They’d all had their fair share of Ardyn-encounters and it wasn’t a secret that he was dangerous. Lethal, even. Whilst they were contemplating over what to do and how to proceed, Ardyn was most likely already a step ahead of them, putting whatever plan he had in action. And Prompto was sure that he must have some kind of intention. Gralean marks didn’t just appear out of nowhere – there had to be a reason. The only problem was that finding that reason would be anything but easy.

“We’ll have to figure something out once we get there. At this point it’s still only speculation, maybe this is a dead end after all.” Noctis replied, still sitting close.

“I agree. We should ask Talcott to lend us his car for tomorrow.” Ignis suggested.

Prompto was a bit taken aback upon hearing that they’d already leave the next day. “Wait, tomorrow? Shouldn’t we like… plan?”

“You think Ardyn’s just having a nice vacation there? If he’s gone before we get there we’re back to square one,” Gladio said, glaring at him a bit, “we should trust Noct and Iggy here.”

“Fine, just wanted to make sure.”

Suddenly, he felt the fingers that had massaged his neck to comfort him up until a few moments ago tighten, pulling the short hairs with an intensity that was far from anything that could be described as calming. The abrupt change in touch made him draw in his breath.

He turned his head to face Noctis whose grasp still wasn’t letting up. “Noct, no offense but – hey you okay?”

Prompto had suspected that the other was trying to tease him but that didn’t seem to be the case. The hand that wasn’t buried in Prompto’s hair was currently pressing against the bridge of his nose, squeezing it as if he were in pain.

“Noct? What’s wrong?” Ignis asked, clearly worried. He probably sensed that something was wrong too.

Noctis groaned quietly. “Sorry, just a bad headache. ‘M fine.”

“That doesn’t look fine. Have you been feeling like this for the whole time?” Gladio asked, also more worried about his friend that he wanted to show.

Next to Prompto, Noctis didn’t seem like he was capable of talking. “No, he didn’t mention it this morning!”

The other sighed, looking concerned. “It’s weird for such a strong headache to appear so suddenly. He was fine when we started talking.”

“I think we have some painkillers left. Prompto, would you give him some of them? I think it’s best if we let him rest now, we’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Be sure to call Gladio or me if anything out of the ordinary happens.” Ignis said.

“Alright. I’ll call you if he gets worse,” Prompto replied, standing up and helping Noctis to his feet as well, “c’mon, I’ll help you.”

Walking back to the caravan was a lot more difficult than Prompto expected. The way he held Noctis reminded him of a few days ago when they’d first arrived back at Hammerhead after making it out of Insomnia. Back then, he’d supported him just the same way – arm holding tight onto his waist, not letting go – the only difference was that Noctis felt a lot more weak right now. Instead of grabbing Prompto’s shoulder, his hand just rested there loosely and it seemed as if even dragging his feet across the concrete was a task almost as impossible as waking up from the dead.

“Almost there, just a bit further. I’m gonna give you some painkillers and after that you’ll be much better, promise.” Prompto assured, trying his best at comforting the other.

“I already said I’m fine.” Noctis said, speech slurred into something Prompto had to concentrate on in order to understand.

He smiled, expression laced with concern, “You don’t sound fine, buddy.”

Noctis didn’t bother to reply which wasn’t surprising. Despite telling himself that this was just a regular headache, courtesy of too little sleep and too much stress maybe, and it would most likely be gone in a few hours at most, Prompto couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was more to it. Headaches were a pain one way or another but this looked more serious than something caused by lack of sleep. Noctis had slept more than enough ever since he’d gotten him back again – he could vouch for that. He’d also looked quite comfortable, a fact that eliminated tense muscles being the root of the problem. He just hoped that whatever it was, it would go away by itself.

As soon as they entered the room, Prompto drew the blinds in order to block the harsh sunlight out, hoping that the darkness would be a bit more comfortable. Behind him, Noctis had already sat down on the bed, hair a mess because of his fingers that were pressing onto his head, trying to massage some of the pain away but it didn’t seem to do anything. Prompto decided that he’d best follow Ignis’ suggestion to get painkillers. Hopefully medication would help.

Surprisingly, it didn’t take him long to find the small pills and he wasted no time in grabbing them and getting a glass of water along the way. Then he made his way back to Noctis again who was still in the same position, fingers now pressing against his temples, and sat down in front of him, putting a hand on his knee and squeezing slightly to get his attention.

“Here, take these. They should help.” He said quietly, holding the pills and the glass out for Noctis to take.

The other’s hand was shaking noticeably as he took the glass and swallowed the pills. “Thanks. Hope they do.”

“Sure, gotta trust Iggy right?” Prompto answered, tilting his head up to send Noctis a reassuring smile, “I think they’ll take about twenty minutes to kick in. Tell me if it gets worse, alright?”

“Uh huh. Just gonna close my eyes for a bit,” Noctis replied, still more mumbling than actually talking.

Prompto got up again and draped a blanket around the other’s shoulders before taking the glass out of his hand and heading back across the room to put it away again. Just as he closed the cabinet again, a hiss of pain sharply cut through the room.

Despite his best efforts he couldn’t push away the nagging suspicion that something was wrong and he was back at Noctis’ side in a second, sitting down next to him this time. “Noct? Hey, you still with me?”

The other looked completely out of it, his hands that were still supporting his head trembling. “Remember the visions I had?”

“The Archean ones? Yeah, what about them?” Prompto asked, still too concerned to connect the dots.

“I just had them again. Or… something like them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading! <3


	17. Journey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was just like it had been with Titan – Noctis would suddenly close his eyes and clutch his head. He didn’t see Titan this time though. Prompto had asked him sometime last night to which Noctis had only replied in fragments of words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas! I'm so glad to finally have some time to relax after practically drowning in exams and stress, I'm sure some of you can relate. That also means more time for writing. :D

“You guys wanna take a break?”

Gladio’s voice was what made Prompto stop daydreaming. They’d been driving for what felt like hours already, which might actually be the case he noted as he took in his surroundings.

In the distance, he could see a diner and a shabby motel building. It was obvious that it had seen better days but all in all Longwythe still looked more or less the same as it had in the past. Prompto had barely been here over the last few years as he’d preferred travelling back and forth between Lestallum and Cauthess rather than seek out the desert which had been officially off-limits anyway. They had to make sacrifices sooner or later and seeing as the area around Hammerhead wasn’t nearly as populated as the Duscae region the decision had been an easy one. Electricity was rare, meteorshards to gain it were rare and so was safety. They had to use everything to their advantage, there had simply been no other option.

“I suppose we could,” Ignis answered, probably welcoming the idea of finally getting to take a short break after sitting in the car for a long time.

Prompto wanted to wait for Noctis’ answer because he didn’t mind whether they stopped or not but the other stayed quiet. A look in the rear-view mirror didn’t confirm his suspicion of Noctis having fallen asleep though, instead it seemed like he was in the middle of having yet another one of his episodes.

“Yeah, I’ve been sitting here for way too long.” He agreed, deciding that a short break would be best, especially so he could check on Noctis. He’d been quiet the whole day already but the others luckily brushed it off as him being sleepy or tired again. Gladio surely hadn’t missed the opportunity to make a mischievous _didn’t I tell you not to tire him out even more_ remark addressed to Prompto with a fitting glance to his neck. He swore he didn’t blush.

Last night was absolute hell, to put it lightly. It had become painfully obvious that both of them were utterly exhausted as soon as they’d stumbled out of the caravan but they couldn’t tell neither Gladio nor Ignis the real reason for that. Well, Prompto actually wanted to because none of them were strangers to Noct’s visions but he’d shot Prompto’s suggestion to tell them down pretty quickly. He could bear a few of Gladio’s comments if it meant that Noctis felt a bit calmer. Gods knew he had enough to deal with as it was, the least Prompto could do was respect his boundaries.

The entirety of last night was spent with trying to find something, anything, to relieve Noct from some of the painful pressure that weighed on his head, an awful side effect of his visions. It didn’t matter what they tried, nothing worked. Normal painkillers had proven to be useless after a short time and there were only so many of them a person could take before it would become dangerous so that had no longer been an option. After a while Prompto had become desperate, feeling useless sitting next to Noctis who had been pressing his fingertips against his temples the entire time. Prompto was pretty sure that they’d both known that there was no remedy, not for headaches caused by the Archean himself – or whoever else it was this time.

He’d suggested that they both try and get some sleep but that hadn’t been successful either. As soon as they’d lay down, Noctis hadn’t stopped moving around, trying to find a position that could be considered comfortable. If the death grip he’d held Prompto’s hand in was any indication, it all did nothing to take the pain away.

Prompto had been silent the entire night which had been very unlike himself but it felt like the appropriate thing to do. He’d ran his hand down Noctis’ back whenever the other had adjusted his position to another one yet again and carded his own fingers through Noctis’ hair when he’d buried his head in the crook of his neck, harsh breaths hitting the sensitive skin.

He didn’t know whether they’d slept or not, the only thing Prompto knew that as soon as the sun rose again, Noctis’ headaches stopped as quickly as they’d appeared. According to him he still felt some throbbing but other than that he was fine. The only time they came back was whenever he was having a vision. It was just like it had been with Titan – Noctis would suddenly close his eyes and clutch his head. He didn’t see Titan this time though. Prompto had asked him sometime last night to which Noctis had only replied in fragments of words. _Waves, Darkness, red and black. Glowing lights and the feeling of needles pricking into my skin._ That was all Prompto could make out but it was more than enough that he couldn’t pretend not to be scared by whatever Noctis was seeing. He couldn’t imagine what it must be like for the other, having to see it instead of just hearing it. Prompto began to understand why he didn’t want to tell Gladio or Ignis – they’d ask question for sure and even though Prompto couldn’t blame them he could also see why Noctis was in no mood to answer said questions. Noctis himself most likely wasn’t sure how to interpret the pictures in his head so explaining it to someone else would be impossible.

Despite the events from last night, they’d set out for Galdin Quay this morning. According to Ignis, they’d reach their destination sometime this afternoon, maybe evening depending on how fast they’d be.

Right now, Gladio was in the middle of parking and as soon as the car stopped, him and Ignis got out.

“I’m getting something to eat. You coming or what?”

“You can go ahead, I’ll join you in a minute.” Prompto replied, trying to make an excuse to be able to stay behind.

“Alright, if you say so. Iggy and I will be getting some lunch.”

The door slammed closed and the car was quiet once again, the only sound being dull footsteps on the asphalt outside. He knew that he didn’t have a lot of time because it wouldn’t take long for his friends to wonder what was taking him so long. They’d better make this quick before the others would grow suspicious which, to be fair, they probably already were because of Noctis’ sudden loss of appetite which wasn’t typical for him at all.

“Noct?” He asked quietly, voice almost shy.

A small hum came from the backseat, a sign of acknowledgement.

“How are you feeling? You okay?”

“Do I look okay to you?” He huffed.

Prompto stammered, already thinking about an apology because he didn’t want to put even more pressure on the other. He had enough of it as it was, but Noctis interrupted him before he got the chance to stumble over his words any further.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you like that. It’s just – it still hurts, I keep getting these visions and I don’t know what to think,” Noctis continued, sounding most sincere. He was probably still not over their argument – neither was Prompto but he also didn’t want them to keep tiptoeing around each other, always scared to say something wrong. At first Prompto had tried to pretend that everything was back to normal but it wasn’t possible. The words had cut deep and the wounds hadn’t healed fully yet. Still, it was weird talking to Noctis like this.

“It’s fine, you don’t have to explain yourself. I just wanted to check if you were still breathing back there,” He replied, sending a teasing smile towards the other.

Noctis didn’t hesitate before responding with a smile of his own, which made Prompto feel a bit more confident and a little less scared. “Well, I can assure you that I’m still breathing for sure at least.”

“Good. That sounds really reassuring, you know.”

Prompto suddenly felt his hand that had been resting on the centre console being grabbed and held tight. Warmth rushed through him at the realization that this had been out of Noctis’ own initiative.

“You can go eat with the others if you want. I don’t mind.” Noctis said, looking at him. Prompto felt lost.

“Only if you’re coming too. I can text Iggy to get us something.” His worries about the others wondering why he wasn’t joining them had completely washed away, which was probably the fault of this weird but oh so familiar feeling.

“He’s gonna kill you for even thinking about eating in the car.” Noctis smirked.

“I mean, _technically_ it’s not even our car…”

“You and I both know that excuse isn’t gonna work. So, you wanna go or what?”

“Lead the way, then.”

They’d be okay.

 

***

 

As they drove on, the sandy desert ground outside slowly began to change into lush green grass and the view instantly got better, now unhindered by any sandstorms that tended to appear in Leide. The four of them had just gotten back from the diner and were continuing their drive to Gladin Quay in silence now that everyone was satisfied and no longer hungry or restless.

Noctis had ended up coming along, which he’d probably done more for Prompto’s sake than for the fact that he’d been wanting some food as well. Prompto could tell that he really tried to appear normal but he could also tell at what point in time his walls were starting to crumble. As soon as Noctis had been starting to sink a bit lower in his seat and he hadn’t done more than picking at his fries, Prompto had convinced the others that they should _really_ get going because apparently traffic was supposed to be _absolutely insane_. Of course that hadn’t been true – they had plenty of time with it not even being afternoon yet and there had barely been any other cars than theirs so far – but he didn’t want to risk Noctis getting another vision whilst sitting in a full diner next to their friends who weren’t supposed to know yet.

Prompto wondered when they’d tell them because the others would eventually grow suspicious but he also knew that it wasn’t his decision to make. He could stand by Noctis – he _would_ stand by Noctis, no matter what – but that was just something he had to do himself.

A glance in the rear-view mirror told him that Noctis was asleep, or trying to be. At least he didn’t seem to be in too much pain for once which comforted Prompto enough to fall asleep himself.

Later, he was woken up by someone gently shaking his shoulder which prompted him to open his eyes, squinting against the sun that was shining through the window.

“We’re almost there. I thought you’d want some time to wake up first,” Gladio said, gesturing to the road in front of them. Galdin Quay was already visible a bit further down, beaches and palm trees still giving off a tropical vibe. The main building looked rather destroyed, not even the bridge was fully intact but that had to be expected. There hadn’t been anyone else here besides Iris’ team of hunters and them. And Ardyn, maybe, if the whole thing about him having been in Galdin turned out to be true. If he’d really been here, Prompto was utterly curious about his reasons and intentions. He had some feeling that he might be better off not knowing, at least for now.

He couldn’t suppress a yawn. “Thanks, I do, actually. What about the others?”

“They’re still asleep. Ignis actually fell asleep for once shortly after you did and I’ve barely heard anything from Noct all day to begin with. Is he okay?”

Prompto was searching his brain for an appropriate answer, something that would convince his friend of Noctis being okay. If Gladio had a bad feeling about something that usually turned out to be true and the shield himself knew that best so convincing him of the contrary would be easier said than done, especially when it came to Noctis who he still saw as his protégé.

“Yeah, he’s probably just tired. We’ve uh, been up late last night.” The _he’s just tired_ excuse was definitely overused already but his brain short-circuited.

“I’m not going to ask,” Gladio replied, “but tell me if something’s wrong with you guys or him, for that matter.”

“Will do.”

The rest of the drive was spent in silence up until the car stopped. In the backseat, Ignis had already woken up and was now in the process of shaking Noctis awake as well. If looks could kill, the advisor would most likely be dead by now because Noctis looked anything but happy. His rather rude waking up technique had earned him a sleepy look of disapproval to which Prompto couldn’t help but smile. He quickly hid it behind his hand because in opposition to Ignis, he had no death wish. Some things never changed.

“I’d suggest we set up camp first.” Ignis said.

“Camping? Really?” Noctis whined, seemingly already disliking the idea of having to spend the night in a tent.

“Sorry to tell you buddy but there are no other options here. Unless you wanna build a tree house.” Prompto replied, pointing to one of the tall palm trees on the beach.

Noctis huffed. “Fine, let’s do it then.”

Together they made their way over towards the west of the beach and set all their equipment down onto the camping ground from which a soft blue glow emanated, courtesy of the runes.

“Feels good to be back here though.” Noctis said, looking out towards the ocean.

“See, told you camping isn’t as bad as you think it is.” Gladio replied smugly.

It didn’t take them long to set up the tent since luckily Gladio didn’t seem to have lost his expertise. Ignis had already started to prepare dinner, cutting vegetables and mixing something inside a pot. Only now Prompto realized that they must’ve been on the road for a few more hours after he’d fallen asleep because he hadn’t even noticed how the sun was starting to sink lower on the horizon, tinting the world around him orange.

“You think the fishings still good here?” Noctis asked Gladio. Of course he wouldn’t be able to miss such an opportunity. Gladin Quay had always been his favorite fishing spot for as long as they’d travelled.

“I don’t know. Might not be as many fish to catch as there used to be but you can try.” Gladio replied, flipping a page in his book.

“Sure will.”

“You shouldn’t go alone, we still haven’t seen all of Galdin Quay. For all we know, it could be dangerous.” Ignis said.

“I can go with him!” Prompto interrupted, having hoped for some more alone time between them. Ignis seemed to be alright with that, letting them go but not before reminding them once more to be back for dinner. Finally, there seemed to be time for some peace and quiet he thought as he walked beside Noctis, basking in the feeling of the last rays of sunshine for the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter! <3


	18. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Compassion, sympathy – all were parts that made him human. Something more than an MT made out of wires, buzzing with electricity were there once was life. Mortal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I hope you guys had an awesome new year's eve and a good start into the new year! :)
> 
> There's some smut in this chapter which is also why the rating has changed. If that's not your thing just read up until 'It was undeniable...' and skip the rest, you won't miss anything plot related! Otherwise, enjoy this chapter!

The sun had slowly begun to sink lower on the horizon, leaving behind only a small part of the day’s high temperature. Clouds were beginning to form in the sky, obstructing the otherwise picturesque view. Sunsets on the beach would just never get old, especially after not having seen them for so long.

Prompto’s fingers itched to capture the moment and if not for the fact that they were laced together with Noctis’ own, he knew wouldn’t have resisted that urge for a second. Right now, he didn’t want to disturb whatever was happening between them at the moment. If he were to speak up about wanting to take a picture, he’d have to break the comfortable silence they’d had going on for what felt like hours. He kept telling himself that it wouldn’t be worth it anyway, the clouds were totally destroying the otherwise perfect lighting and the sunset wasn’t even _that_ pretty.

The air around him felt so calm and serene, the only sound being the crashing of waves against the rocks he could see in the distance, the soft wind that was tousling his hair and a pair of footsteps on the sand. Everything felt so normal for once. This was what normal couples did, right? Walking on the beach, hand in hand, watching the sunset. The more he thought about that, the more his thoughts were clouded by the fact that their relationship couldn’t be that easy and effortless. Ardyn – the whole reason of them walking on the beach right now – was still out there somewhere, maybe close, maybe far away by now. Still, that didn’t change the fact that they weren’t out of danger yet. Prompto had tried to believe that everything the man had said about wanting to separate them, being _able_ to do so if he pleased, was nothing more than a bluff. A warning to leave him alone, a final farewell.

The wind was starting to pick up, making Prompto regret not staying at the campsite where they would have been at least a little bit shielded from it. Instead, Noctis and him had proceeded to walk down along the entire beach, passing the first fishing spot in favor of the one further away because they’d both been so caught up in their thoughts. It was as if they’d held a silent conversation the entire way down, one without words, one spoken only between the spaces of their fingers.

“You can take a picture if you wanna, you know.” Noctis suddenly said, finally ending their silence. He must’ve noticed Prompto’s fidgeting.

“Nah, it’s fine. There are too many clouds anyways.” He replied, assuring the other that it was alright.

“If you say so. We’re almost there, you can still take some if you change your mind.”

They had in fact almost reached their destination. Out of the corner of his eye Prompto could see Noctis smiling at the opportunity of fishing again. It was endearing, really, how much the simple task never failed to make him happy. Prompto had always somehow enjoyed watching him fish, even though he never would’ve admitted it in the past. More often than not, Ignis and him had exchanged annoyed glances behind Gladio’s and Noctis’ backs whenever they found another lake that offered a perfect opportunity for their hobby. Still, if he was being honest seeing Noctis so calm and doing something he clearly liked to do was a nice change from the usual duties he’d always had to face. Seeing the usually exhausted look transform into a smile that reached his eyes had always been worth a few hours of sitting by a lake and doing nothing except listening to the splash of water and the occasional cheer.

The hand that had been holding his suddenly slipped away, taking its warm touch with it. They were standing on the dock now, Noctis reaching out to grab the rod out of what seemed like thin air whilst his other hand was busy keeping the hair out of his face. Prompto hadn’t paid much attention to the grey clouds before but now he realized that the wind had brought them closer together, making the orange color of the sunset disappear almost completely, leaving a gloomy sky behind.

“Can’t even cast a line in this wind,” Noctis mumbled, trying his hardest to get the rod to work how he wanted it to but he didn’t really seem successful.

Prompto sighed, crossing his arms. “Maybe we should’ve waited until tomorrow. Those clouds don’t look good at all.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Noctis replied, having given up his fight against the wind and instead let the rod vanish again.

As if on cue, small droplets of rain began to hit the ground next to them. They didn’t even have time to think before the light rain began to change into downpour, making walking back impossible, especially with the strong wind.

“Shit, just what we needed.” Prompto exclaimed, already feeling the rain soak his clothes.

“C’mon, we need to find shelter until this is over.” Noctis said, beginning to make his way over to the numerous rocks behind them. Prompto knew from experience that there had to be a small cave here somewhere, he’d seen plenty of them when they were last here.

Both of them jogged uphill, almost slipping on the wet ground multiple times until they finally found a cave that would serve them as shelter until this sudden downpour would be over. It wasn’t big by any means, they could only take a few steps until they’d reached the end of it, but at least they were protected from rain and wind in here which was an utter blessing right now.

“You okay?” Noctis asked, sitting behind a rock and leaning against the wall behind him.

Prompto sat down next to him, “Well, my clothes are soaked but other than that I’m fine,” he replied, whining a bit as he felt his shirt cling to him, sending shivers down his spine due to the cold water. He scooted closer to the other and leaned on his shoulder.

“I think it’ll stop soon. Heavy rain like this doesn’t usually last long.” Noctis assured him.

Prompto hummed. “You think we’re gonna find him?”

If the sudden change of topic had caught Noctis off guard, he didn’t show it. “Ardyn? I don’t know but we have to try at least. There’s not much we can do besides follow every lead we possibly can.”

“I guess you’re right. I wish he could just leave us alone, y’know. Why can’t he just be happy that he got another chance just like us?” Prompto asked, taking the other’s hand from between them in his own and absentmindedly beginning to play with his fingers.

“Because we have something to live for. _I_ have something to live for.” He replied, stroking his thumb over the back of the blond’s hand.

“What do you mean?”

“Just imagine you were immortal. I mean it seems nice at first but it’s bound to get incredibly lonely. Everyone just… leaves you after a while and there’s nothing you can do about it.” Noctis said, leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes.

If Prompto was being honest he’d never thought about Ardyn like this. What Noctis said almost made him feel a bit sympathetic towards the chancellor. He shoved the feeling away, didn’t want to feel compassion towards someone who had hurt him and his friends in the worst ways possible but it didn’t work. Compassion, sympathy – all were parts that made him human. Something more than an MT made out of wires, buzzing with electricity were there once was life. Mortal. Maybe Ardyn knew that in some ways, he was closer to being one of them than Prompto ever was even if the man didn’t have the marks to prove it. Maybe his were different.

“But I still don’t get it… The gods decided that you’d get a second chance. Why did they offer it to him too? Why give him eternal life along with it even if he doesn’t deserve it?” Prompto asked.

There were moments of silence before Noctis spoke up. “I don’t think _offer_ is the right word. He wouldn’t have accepted it, given the choice.”

“Why wouldn’t he accept it?”

“Would you accept what’s basically the greatest curse of them all?”

Noctis’ words didn’t fail to make Prompto think about what he’d thought about being immortal before. To him, it had always seemed like a gift – living forever without fear of dying, without worrying about regrets or things he hadn’t achieved during his lifetime. Noctis spoke about it as if it was a curse, something undesirable, something that he truly feared. Finally, Prompto understood.

He looked up at the other for a moment. “No, I wouldn’t.”

Outside, it was getting dark. The sun had finally set almost completely, taking every bit of light with it, leaving behind the heavy splattering of rain outside. Everything seemed to be so far away whilst he was looking into the blue eyes before him. He felt himself fall once again, felt himself descend from a height he normally would’ve been scared of. Suddenly, even the height of the sky felt like home as long as it matched the shade of blue before him.

“I’m glad you’re here.” He didn’t need to think about the words before they slipped out. It seemed like a fitting thing to say in that moment because sometimes Noctis being here, being _real_ , still seemed like a dream he’d wake out of if he closed his eyes for a little too long.

Noctis just looked at him and smiled. “Good, cause I’m glad that I’m here too.”

It was undeniable that there was something between them, something invisible that pulled them closer to each other whenever they drifted too far apart. Prompto leaned over a bit to kiss the other because suddenly sitting next to each other seemed like too big of a distance. At first, he only wanted it to be a short kiss, a reminder that they were both here and that they’d be fine despite everything that was happening or at least they could pretend to be for a moment.

Noctis wasn’t having anything of that though. As soon as the blond wanted to put more distance between them, he held him close at the back of his head and the quiet sound of shock came out muffled against the other’s lips. There wasn’t anything shy about their kiss anymore, it wasn’t hesitant like the one they’d shared as some sort of apology after arguing.

Even though Prompto hadn’t really been planning for his action to turn out like this, he decided to follow Noctis’ lead and proceeded to straddle him, deepening the kiss whilst doing so. A barely audible hum of appreciation could be heard from the other, making Prompto scoot even closer and put one hand on the back of Noctis’ neck, the other one on the wall of the cave beside his head.

He felt his own head being tilted back a bit into a position that allowed them to deepen their kiss even further, tongues tangling together in a way that made him feel dizzy. He felt all his senses being overtaken by the person before him, his smell, his taste, his touch.

Up until now, only kissing had been enough for Prompto. Even though their relationship had technically been a long time coming he’d never wanted to rush it, scared of fucking it up because they hadn’t taken their time. Right now, he couldn’t hold back any longer and closed his fingers around the hem of Noctis’ shirt, pulling it up and over his head, letting it fall somewhere next to them. He began to place small kisses all over the other’s neck and even though he didn’t seem to be as sensitive there as Prompto himself was, he still tilted his head back against the wall, silently begging for more.

After the blond was satisfied with his work, he continued his way down the other’s chest, leaving little kisses and bites behind all over it. He felt Noctis’ muscles move underneath him, making him breathe out heavily against the hot skin in front of him.

One of his hands began to work on the zipper of his pants, unzipping it before looking up at Noctis questioningly. “You wanna?”

The other looked at him with pupils blown wide. The expression on his face already answered Prompto’s question but he wanted to make sure. There was no way he was going to mess this up.

“Only if you do,” Noctis answered, trying to catch his breath.

“We don’t uh… have stuff with us though.” He said, hoping that the other would catch the hint.

“It’s fine. We don’t have to go all the way, no need to rush.”

With one last glance at Noctis’ face, Prompto decided that he couldn’t possibly wait any longer and pulled the other’s pants down, along with his underwear. A sigh of relief could be heard from above upon his erection being freed.

That relief didn’t last long though, as Prompto didn’t waste any time and licked a stripe along the underside of it, feeling Noctis’ hips uncontrollably thrust up next to his mouth. He placed one hand on them to hold them down and his other hand held onto the length before him. Without any warning, he closed his mouth around the head, licking and sucking all over it before taking it further down. Above him, Noctis moaned out in pure pleasure, tangling his fingers in blond hair and trying to pull Prompto back up.

“Stop, ‘m not gonna last,” he tried to warn but the blond wasn’t planning on doing so. Instead, he disregarded the warning given to him and used both of his hands to hold Noctis down by his hips before taking him down as far as he could, getting lost in the sounds of the moans coming from the other.

Prompto’s pace grew faster as time went on and he suddenly felt Noctis’ abdomen tense up under his hands before he came, loud moans and a strangled “ _Fuck, Prom”_ accompanying the liquid spilling in his mouth.

He pulled off of Noctis and barely had the time to lick his lips before he found himself in a deep kiss once again. The other’s tongue roamed through his entire mouth and he doubtlessly tasted himself on Prompto. Something about that thought nearly made him come in his pants and brought his focus back to his own ache between his legs.

Noctis must’ve been reading his mind somehow because before Prompto even had the time to realize what was happening, a warm hand unzipped his pants and grabbed hold of his dick, stroking him in a pace that would have been much too fast for him otherwise but now it made ecstasy run through his veins. Noctis’ mouth latched onto his neck, placing small bites all over it before he located what he’d earlier found out to be Prompto’s weak spot. He bit down hard and the blond cried out, digging his nails deep into Noctis’ shoulders and spilling between them.

For a long time, both of them sat together in silence and tried to catch their breath. Outside, the storm still raged on, forgotten in the midst of pleasure they’d lost themselves in.

“I don’t know about you but I think we should totally do that again sometime.” Prompto said as soon as he could speak again.

“Dork,” Noctis said and flicked at his nose, “but I agree. You were amazing.”

“So were you. Didn’t know you’d be so vocal though.” Prompto chuckled and grinned at the other.

“Hey, that was only because we’re in a cave in the middle of nowhere!” Noctis replied, trying to suppress a smile of his own.

That reminded Prompto that they were in fact still stranded in a cave with no way to get out anytime soon, or so it seemed judging by the heavy rain and thunder outside. “We should let Iggy and Gladio know. I’m sure they’re worried by now.”

“I’ll send them a message.” Noctis suggested, fumbling for his phone.

Prompto sat down next to him again and let his head rest on his shoulder. Surrounded by Noctis’ calming scent and the sound of rain and thunder in the distance, he felt sleep overtake him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! <3
> 
> you can also find me on [tumblr](https://solislucinus.tumblr.com)


	19. Daunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Just making sure. So, what is it then?” He asked again, resisting the urge to tease the other for now.
> 
> It was quiet for a few seconds that felt like hours until Noctis responded. “I’m… scared, I guess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!!  
> I took a small break that ended up being a bit longer than I wanted it to be, hope you guys forgive me for that <3

The soft sound of raindrops falling onto the ground outside was what woke Prompto up.

As he blinked, he realized that he must’ve fallen asleep earlier even though he hadn’t intended to do so. All he wanted to do was close his eyes for a short moment but that obviously hadn’t worked.

By now, the storm outside had passed by, only leaving slight rain behind, nothing nearly as heavy as before. The thunder from before sounded distant now and it was only audible if he really concentrated on it, his suspicion of it only being a quick downpour had proven to be right because otherwise it wouldn’t be so quiet.

Rain always reminded him of his childhood. It was a fact that a lot of younger children tended to be scared of thunderstorms but for him, that had never been the case. For some reason, instead of leaving him scared, they always calmed him down and made him feel less alone.

During his younger years he hadn’t had the privilege of being able to crawl into his parent’s bed whenever he got scared by a nightmare or a shadow in his room because they’d hardly ever been there. Still, he’d always known better than to complain about it. After all, they took him in when he needed it most and cared for him, even if he hadn’t always understood that. Through a child’s eyes it was rather hard to recognize that they were truly cared for if they were often left alone.

Because of that, he’d always been forced to deal with his fears in the middle of the night alone. It had always been him who’d calmed himself down after a particularly bad nightmare full of red eyes and sparks and he’d also learned that the shadows lurking in the corners of his room were just a product of the bright moon shining through his window.

The first time he’d realized that thunderstorms were something he was supposed to be scared of was back in elementary school. One time, their teacher had asked them what they were scared of and a lot of his classmates hadn’t thought for long before raising their hands and telling everyone that thunder and lightning scared them. Prompto had never known why. If anything, the rain splattering against his window at night made him feel less alone and helped bring him back to reality faster after another one of his nightmares. It gave him something to hold onto – a confirmation that he got out of his dreams, that he’d made it once more.

He had never known why until Noctis had been sent to achieve the Storm’s blessings. The four of them had met Gentiana who proceeded to deliver them the message and after that, Lucis had been overshadowed by clouds who caused a seemingly never-ending rain.

Prompto still remembered it as if it were yesterday, that moment when Noctis had touched the last runestone. Suddenly, the storm that had been raging outside had stopped and appeared again behind his eyelids. The air around him had been charged with electricity, lightning strikes shooting through it like daggers.

Once again, those events didn’t scare or intimidate him. Unlike Gladio and Ignis, he hadn’t stepped back. If anything, he’d wanted to get closer because he hadn’t felt as peaceful and _at home_ as he had then. Maybe he’d already known. Maybe they’d both known in that moment and maybe they weren’t the only ones that did. But thinking about the past wouldn’t help them right now either, not with Ardyn still looming over them like a dark cloud. Him being a threat and them being in danger suddenly seemed much more realistic now that they were seeking more information about the man and believing that he was just bluffing became more difficult by the minute.

Somehow, Prompto hoped that they wouldn’t find him or any trace that led closer to him. A part of him wanted nothing more than to go back to Hammerhead and pretend that Ardyn didn’t exist and that none of this had ever happened. He could just hide away from the world underneath his blanket with Noctis instead of having to face a situation that could end in death for all he knew. He may not fear thunder and lightning but what he did fear was this uncertainty, along with ever-present thought that they might not be lucky enough to make it out of this alive.

At that, a shiver ran through his body. Despite the fact that it was night by now, he wasn’t cold. Quite the contrary, actually. His head was still resting on Noctis’ shoulder like it had been ever since he’d fallen asleep and they were pressed together closely, not a single inch of cold air left between their shoulders. The slow, steady breaths coming from the other calmed Prompto’s anxieties down a little and made him feel less alone. At first, he’d suspected Noctis to be sleeping as fell but that didn’t seem to be the case as Prompto felt him play with his fingers – a habit Noctis had picked up ever since he got back.

Prompto hadn’t really paid attention to it until he’d realized that it was something the other did whenever something worried or scared him. He’d often noticed Noctis doing it in the middle of the night when he woke up from another one of his nightmares and also during the day when he’d gotten through yet another one of his visions. The thought that he was someone Noctis sought out for comfort made a smile tug at his lips.

Under normal circumstances, Prompto would never let anyone touch the barcode on his wrist, he wouldn’t even let anyone look at it since it still made him feel vulnerable. With Noctis though, this had never been a problem. When his fingers caressed the thin black lines at first, Prompto had to suppress the urge to pull his hand away and hide his wrist as fast as possible. Over time he’d begun to feel a lot more comfortable though and hoped that it might help Noctis to accept his own code as well.

He wondered what was on the other’s minds right now as Noctis seemed to not have noticed that Prompto was awake again which led him to believe that he must’ve been lost in thought. Not positive ones at that, if the fingers that were slowly lacing themselves through the spaces of his own were any indication.

Slowly, he removed his head from where it had been tucked under Noctis’ neck, sitting up a bit straighter in the process. “What time is it?” He asked, looking at the other who was still looking at the cave wall in front of where they were sitting.

With that, it looked like Prompto had succeeded in waking Noctis up from whatever daydream he was stuck in.

“Hm?” He hummed, looking at the blond questioningly as if he hadn’t heard the question.

“I asked what time it was.”

“Oh, right” Noctis replied, picking up his phone that had been laying on the ground next to him, “almost midnight now.”

Prompto had been sleeping for longer than he’d thought. He could swear that back when he’d fallen asleep, the sun had just been setting. Or had it been dark already? He couldn’t remember.

Next to him, Noctis had grown quiet once again. Prompto was getting worried because he felt as if something really was worrying him. Sure, Noctis had always been more the quiet type but still. It wouldn’t hurt to ask.

“Hey, you okay?” He asked, trying to catch the other’s gaze that didn’t seem to be willing to meet his own.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” Noctis replied.

Prompto sighed, “You just seem really out of it, I don’t know. As if something’s bothering you.” He’d been fine a few hours ago when they walked to the fishing spot together, Prompto remembered. Even though they’d spent most of the walk in silence, there had still been the occasional joke or funny remark. Now, the atmosphere just felt heavy.

He furrowed his brows. Noctis didn’t regret what had happened between them earlier, did he? Prompto was pretty sure that the other had never really been intimate with another person before, save for a few kisses he’d shared with other people during his time at high school. He did make sure to ask but maybe it had still been too much?

There was only one way to find out. “Do you… regret what we did?”

Next to him, Noctis blushed. Well, he hadn’t quite expected that reaction for sure. “What? No, of course I don’t!” He stammered loudly. Prompto couldn’t help but grin a little.

“Just making sure. So, what is it then?” He asked again, resisting the urge to tease the other for now.

It was quiet for a few seconds that felt like hours until Noctis responded. “I’m… scared, I guess.”

Those two words made Prompto’s heart sink. He had never heard Noctis outright admit that he was scared of something. For as long as he could remember, the other had always had a rather cool façade, as if there was nothing that could intimidate him. He’d always been the one to rush into a fight headfirst even if they kept warning him to keep his distance, eyes glinting with bravery, dauntlessness in between. The world could be crumbling around him, but he would just keep walking with the same stride he always did.

Now that the bright lights of the citadel were replaced by the almost eerie glow of the cave they were in, Prompto suddenly found that maybe being scared was just as much reality for Noctis as it was for everyone else sometimes.

Noctis hadn’t made any effort to speak after his little confession which made Prompto want to say something, anything, to help him.

“What are you scared of?” he asked, immediately worrying if just outright asking had been too forward, “I mean, you don’t have to talk about it if you’d rather not. I just think it might help.”

The other shifted next to him and his grip on Prompto’s hand tightened, fingers no longer moving. “I’d say Ardyn but… I don’t know _what_ I’m supposed to be scared of, that’s the problem.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I don’t know what he’s planning, what he’s doing, I don’t know _anything_ and it honestly drives me crazy. He could just appear anytime out of nowhere and we wouldn’t have any idea what he’d be capable of doing. That’s what scares me the most.” Noctis replied, voice frantic as if he couldn’t control it.

Prompto didn’t know what to say at first, settling for slowly running his thumb across the back of the other’s hand in what he hoped was a soothing motion before replying, “We’re all scared of that but that’s why we’re here. We might actually be able to figure something out before he does for once, even if it means being scared, no, being terrified of it. It’s okay to feel that way.”

“I know we’re already doing everything we can but still, I can’t stand the thought of him hurting any of you guys. He’s already taken ten years from me! What in the Six’ name does he _want_?”

Noctis’ voice was quivering with what Prompto could only identify as fear. It was a sound that made his chest hurt, made it feel like it was being pushed together by iron fists.

“I’m just as clueless as you are and I can’t promise you that there’s nothing to be scared of,” he began, “but what I can promise you is that you’re not gonna be alone for whatever’s to come. Not again.” Prompto then said, hoping that he sounded braver than he actually was.

Next to him, Noctis nodded slowly, looking at their hands between them almost as if they were some kind of lifeline.

In that moment, Prompto wished he had a pen. He wished that he could somehow cross out the thin black lines on his own wrist, replacing them by letters displaying something positive, only to watch them appear on the other’s wrist as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a slower chapter once again before we go into what will be the last few chapters of this :)
> 
> come yell at me on [tumblr](https://solislucinus.tumblr.com)!!


	20. Star-crossed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still, Noctis had asked the question in the same tone as now, full of determination, full of fight.
> 
> Maybe he finally understood now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a shorter filler chapter this time before we get to the final chapters! Writing this wasn't easy for me at all, probably due to it being rather dark. Just remember, the story isn't over yet so... enjoy for now :)

“Have you lost your goddamn _mind_?”

Gladio was clearly angry. Furious, more like. The only times Prompto had seen him like this were whenever one of them – Noctis, mostly – got into serious trouble that led to a life or death situation.

Prompto recalled the day when he first met him. He’d been so nervous that his stomach had felt as if it was making somersaults and he’d felt nauseous. Meeting Ignis had already been quite the challenge because whenever Prompto had seen him picking up Noctis from school, the man had always looked so perfectly put together that he’d immediately gotten the urge to straighten the collar of his shirt and double-check the knot of his tie. There was also the fact that Ignis, as well as Gladio, might as well have been royalty themselves back then, at least that’s what it seemed like at that time.

After a lot of assurance from Noctis’ side _that No, he won’t care if there’s a little bit of dirt on your shoes_ Prompto had eventually gotten over himself.

Still, meeting Gladio had been a whole other story. The first time he’d seen him he’d been utterly intimidated and unable to form something that was even close to a coherent sentence. He’d been convinced that this behemoth of a man probably had the ability knock him out with a single finger, being the shield of the future king and all that.

Once Prompto had gotten to know all of them better he couldn’t help but feel silly over the fact that he’d ever been scared of even _looking_ at them. They still teased him about nearly fainting when he’d trained with Gladio for the first time and had seen the man pick up a huge sword like it weighed the equivalent to a feather.

Despite this, he now knew that none of them were a threat – not to him at least. As long as he wasn’t planning on assassinating Noctis, he should be just fine.

Right now, he felt close to the way he’d felt when he’d first seen Gladio. The man stood in front of Noctis and him, arms crossed over his chest and looking as if he was just waiting for them to say something that gave him a reason to personally turn them into dinner for the sabertusks that were surely lurking around here somewhere.

“I texted you that we were safe, there wasn’t any reason to worry.” Noctis said, mirroring Gladio’s stance.

The man just snorted. “No reason to worry? I’m sorry to remind you but Ardyn is out there somewhere, probably closer than we think and he seems to be a damn good reason to worry about!”

Prompto decided to intervene because earlier arguments between Noctis and Gladio had shown him that they’d just continue to scream at each other forever if no one made an effort to stop them from doing so. “Guys, calm down. We’re fine, we found shelter and it was pretty hidden so I don’t think he would’ve found us even if he had been looking for us.”

“Yeah, and running around while there was a huge storm going on doesn’t seem safe either”, Noctis added.

“It’s _Ardyn_ , we all know exactly that he could’ve found…” the shield began before Ignis interrupted him.

“Arguing won’t get us anywhere. Noctis, Prompto, what you did was rather irresponsible but for now we should be glad that nothing’s happened and focus on the task at hand.”

Something told Prompto that once everything was over, him and Noctis were going to receive one of Ignis’ lectures, given that they _would_ make it out of whatever this was going to be. Still, he silently thanked the gods that Ignis had decided to be the voice of reason.

The advisor had a point though, that much he had to admit. Thinking back, they probably shouldn’t have gone further away than the first fishing spot they’d passed. It wasn’t the first time that they’d experienced weather like this in Galdin Quay and even though he hadn’t witnessed any storms like that one, they should’ve been more careful. Or maybe at least called one of the two instead just sending a quick text which had just been more convenient at the time. Still, what’s done was done.

“See. Told you, there’s no reason to make such a big deal.” Noctis said, smirking at the man in front of him. How he still had the ability to _smirk_ in a situation like this was beyond Prompto. The mere thought of possibly having to face death yet again made him feel utterly sick and he fixated his eyes onto a spot on the ground, willing the nausea to go away. Underneath the wooden boards of the bridge he was standing on, the sea still moved wildly, waves crashing onto rocks in the distance.

“That’s not what I meant,” Ignis answered, interrupting Prompto’s concentrated stare, “this discussion isn’t over quite yet. But as I said, there’s more important matters at the moment.”

The stern tone in which he spoke wiped that smirk right off of Noctis’ face, instead making the shield look at him with the same expression. Next to him, Prompto could hear Noctis grumble something inaudible. The interaction between them made him somewhat smile. _Like a kid caught with its hand in the cookie jar._

“So, if you happen to be done with all this bickering now, there are actually some things Gladio and I think might interest you.” Ignis then added, catching their attention.

Prompto looked up from his familiar spot on the ground, “and what’s that?”

“During the storm yesterday there was also lightning as I’m sure you’ve noticed, but something about it was definitely off,” Gladio began, walking a few steps until he arrived at the railings of the dock, “it seemed as if the only place it struck was Angelgaard. That’s not coincidence if you ask me.”

Noctis was listening attentively as soon as Angelgaard was mentioned. “No, it’s definitely not.”

“Did you not see it?” Ignis asked, clearly puzzled as to why the two of them hadn’t seen any of it.

“We were in a _cave_.” Noctis answered as if it the explanation was the most obvious thing ever.

Gladio turned to look at them, tearing his gaze away from the island in front of him. “Caves usually have entrances, don’t they? Yours should have been in a spot where you could’ve seen – “he began, before Prompto decided that they would _not_ start this conversation, thank you very much.

“Anyways, we didn’t. So, what’s next?”

“Well, I say we go check it out.” Gladio suggested.

“You sure about that? I mean, should we really just rush into this?” Prompto asked, voice still wobbly. Suddenly, being confident was so _difficult_ again.

Ignis turned to him. He must’ve heard the uneasiness in his voice because his tone switched to a much more calming one. “There’s not much else we can do, I’m afraid. Other than lightning we haven’t seen anything that would indicate what’s happening there and waiting certainly won’t solve this either.”

If Prompto was being honest he’d expected his other friends to already have figured out an entire plan, start to finish, like they’d always done. The more his thoughts swirled around everything they could possibly do, the more he realized that there simply wasn’t anything this time. Whatever was happening on Angelgaard at the moment, or whoever was responsible for it most likely didn’t care about them planning in advance anyway.

“But how are we gonna get there? I don’t think swimming’s a good idea.” Prompto then asked, still not convinced.

“King Regis’ ship is still at the dock over there,” Gladio answered, pointing towards the dock at the other end of Galdin Quay. The fact that the ship was obviously still there, floating in midst of the waves, surprised him.

It seemed as if he wasn’t the only one as Noctis walked over to the railing with quick-paced steps. “No way, I thought that it would’ve been gone by now!”

“The last time you were here was what… a week ago? Two? But yes, we’re lucky I guess.” The shield said.

It took Prompto some time to process that it was in fact only a little over a week since Noctis came back to them. He couldn’t quite believe it because it seemed to have been so much longer than just a few days. At the same time the realization that only a few days had passed troubled him and made his heart feel heavy all of a sudden. A few days, a little more than a week – was this all they were going to get? Was this it?

He’d always been the kind of person that worried too much about everything, despite his light-hearted, devil-may-care attitude. Sometimes it could be a simple, trivial thing that led him spiralling down until he almost couldn’t form a coherent thought anymore. This time though, his worries seemed to be plausible.

The thought that his time with Noctis could be coming to an end once more soon had been constantly with him over the course of the past few days but he’d managed to push it away most of the time. Whenever it had threatened to grip him too tight again, Noctis had been right by his side, pulling him closer until he couldn’t think about anything else anymore. Just imagining the possibility of them being forced apart again made him freeze the same way he had back when Ardyn had walked into the throne room. Feet stuck to the ground, ability to breathe lost along with every spark of courage, replaced by _pretend_.

It seemed like he wasn’t the only one being consumed by that particular thought because Noctis had gotten quiet all of a sudden as well. He was looking at the ground just like Prompto had moments before, his eyes overshadowed by an expression the blond could only pinpoint as something like… regret, perhaps?

Luckily, Ignis chose this moment to speak up. “Right, so if there are no further questions, is everyone ready to board?”

“You guys sure you wanna come with us?” Prompto asked. The mere thought of his friends putting their life on the line for him weighed heavy on his shoulders, adding to all his worries already resting there.

“Are you being serious right now? We’re not gonna let you and Noct do this alone, no way.” Gladio exclaimed, looking shocked that there was even an option for them to stay behind instead. His reaction didn’t exactly surprise Prompto, he’d expected something like this anyway. Gladio had never for a second abandoned his duty as Shield of the King, not even during that decade of darkness. It had always been his calling and that was what had kept him going all those years. Maybe he didn’t show it like the rest of them did but Prompto, along with everyone else, knew that he’d still give up his own life for Noctis in a heartbeat.

Ignis only hummed in agreement and they began to walk over to the dock where the boat was.

Prompto began to follow them, before noticing that Noctis still hadn’t moved an inch and called out to him. “Hey Noct, you coming?”

“Huh?” the other exclaimed, as if he’d been woken up from some kind of daydream, “Yeah sure, let’s get this over with.”

With this, they proceeded to follow their friends to the dock, making their way through the place that had once been Galdin Quay’s hotel and restaurant. It was barely recognizable now, nothing reminding them of the calm but still lively atmosphere it once held except for a few pieces of furniture that were strewn all across the floor.

Every step Prompto took felt heavier, forcing him to overcome an impossible wall he was unable to climb. Every step he took was more difficult than the last one but he still felt no victory whilst moving forward.

“You alright?” He asked, wanting to break the silence. His voice almost lost due to the strong wind that became all the more apparent the more they walked towards the dock.

“Are you?” Noctis replied to that. That question itself spoke volumes, more than a simple _No_ would have.

Prompto wanted to say something to that but the words got stuck in his throat with no way of escaping. Suddenly, the other stopped him from taking yet another step that felt far too heavy, taking his hands instead.

The way in which Noctis’ eyes met his made him feel paralyzed. “Can you just promise me that… we’ll be alright? Please?”

 _I can’t promise you something I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep_ was right there on the tip of his tongue, just waiting to be spoken out loud. That had been what he’d said the last time Noctis asked him to promise something. Back then those words had been among the last ones they’d shared before Noctis died. Prompto still remembered how he’d felt in that moment. Weak, powerless, questioning whether fighting was even worth it when it wouldn’t matter anyway. Still, Noctis had asked the question in the same tone as now, full of determination, full of fight.

Maybe he finally understood now.

“I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come yell at me on [tumblr](https://solislucinus.tumblr.com)!!


	21. Tidal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’d never really realized how much importance, how much heaviness the word forever carried. Forever was everything that anyone was given, all their life, all their time, everything they were. Noctis made the promise of forever seem so easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guess what, I bring a somewhat fluffy chapter this time to hopefully make up for the angst in the last one once again! Lets be real, these boys really deserve it.
> 
> I hope you enjoy! <3

“It’s strange.”

“What’s strange?”

“How time can pass so quickly. Looking back, it just… all this time we had, it didn’t feel like a week. A few hours, maybe. Minutes.” Prompto said, staring at the dark silhouette of Galdin Quay. Thick fog obscured his view and would make him lose his orientation for sure if he were to tear his gaze away for a single second. That’s what it seemed like, at least. He knew that Angelgaard was somewhere in front of them and the coast Noctis and him had walked along just hours before was situated to the right but the fog made him unable to identify anything.

They’d just set sail a few minutes ago and it seemed as if the boat was barely moving, probably due to the waves that were still rising too tall for them not to be concerned about. Thankfully, Gladio had volunteered to steer the boat towards their destination so they wouldn’t have to worry about that. Ignis was somewhere up there with him as well, which left the two of them sitting at the back, staring out into the sea, letting the wind tousle their hair.

“ _A week,_ ” Noctis huffed with a forced laugh, “even if it did feel like a week, it would still be a damn short time.”

Prompto hummed. “Yeah, you’re right, I’m just saying that somehow it felt like even less. Honestly, you could tell me that someone’s been messing with time and I’d believe you, no questions asked.”

“With all this messed up stuff going on I wouldn’t even be surprised.”

A few minutes ago, Prompto had wanted to avoid this very topic. The fact that they hadn’t been given enough time, that all of this was unfair, that they deserved their happy ending – there was no point in discussing it. They could talk and scream and cry about it all they wanted but at the end of the day it would remain unchanged.

Ten years. That was how much time had been taken away from Noctis and also the rest of them, to a certain extent at least. Ten days was how much they’d gotten back. An awfully short amount of time, yet it had still managed to change everything. During the decade where Noctis had been gone, Prompto had tried his best at continuing to live but he had never really made it past _existing_. Just simply being there, physically – even that had been a challenge.

Suddenly, existing had shifted into living as soon as he’d seen the first message written on his skin. He’d felt alive, as if he was finally breathing again, as if he’d left the eerie sphere of existing.

“I feel as if I’m being greedy when I say that I need more time but I do. I really do need more time.” He said, breaking the silence that had fallen between them like a heavy blanket.

“It’s not. Even if it was, I wouldn’t care.” There was anger lying beneath Noctis’ voice, clear as day. He was trying not to show it but it was there, carefully woven through each syllable.

Somehow, Prompto didn’t feel anger. He felt empty but it still felt as if the emptiness weighed heavy on his chest, pressing down, taking away the ability to breathe deeply and steadily.

As long as he could remember, Noctis’ first initial reaction to everything he didn’t know how to deal with was anger. It just showed that whatever was going on was simply too much for him to handle at that moment. Being vulnerable obviously scared him, yet somehow reacting irritated was his own version of showing vulnerability.

Prompto was the opposite – in situations like those he’d just stay quiet. He’d let his emotions consume him until they’d gain the upper hand, which wasn’t a difficult thing for them to do.

“I just wish I’d know what’s gonna happen. Or maybe not, maybe I’m actually better off not knowing.” Noctis then said. It sounded more like a thought that had accidentally slipped past his lips than something he’d meant to say out loud.

Prompto nodded, looking at him. “I know what you mean. But still, we shouldn’t give up already.”

“I’m not gonna go down without a fight, you all know that.”

“No, that’s not…” he answered, struggling to find the right words, “Everyone keeps acting as if this whole thing is pointless anyway. Have you seen Gladio? He keeps looking at you, at _us_ , the same way he did back in Insomnia when we all knew you were going to die!” His voice was trembling and he felt hot tears in the corners of his eyes that were threatening to fall. It pained Prompto every time he saw that expression of utter hopelessness on his friends’ face.

“He’s just worried. If I know one thing about him, it’s that he’ll do anything to get us all out there alive. Insomnia was… There was no hope for me and you guys knew that. This time, there’s still hope and as you said, there’s no reason to even _consider_ giving up.” Noctis’ voice sounded determined yet it carried a calm tone, one that never failed to make Prompto feel as if he could breathe again.

Prompto sighed. “Sorry, I’m probably reading too much into this.”

“Don’t be sorry. I’m sure none of us know how to deal with this, it’s just too much, especially for us.” Noctis assured him, lightly putting his arm around the other’s waist and pulling him closer.

“If you knew how all this was gonna go, would you do it again? This whole soulmates-thing, I mean?” Prompto wasn’t sure if he’d want to hear the answer. His own was clear and there was no question about it but he hadn’t outright asked before. It had been bothering him for a long time though and he didn’t know when and if he’d get the chance to ask it again.

The other looked at him with a shocked, almost hurt expression. “What kind of question is that? Of course I would!”

Prompto felt the arm around his waist tighten, fingers digging into skin. “Well, you didn’t really get to choose. You just kinda got thrown in this mess again, only with me literally bonded to you this time.”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Noctis asked, blue eyes looking straight into his. He felt as if he were an open book, letters arranged neatly and begging to be read.

“Huh?”

“I never wanted a choice, there was no need for it,” he said. The look of confusion on Prompto’s face led Noctis to continue. “I always chose you, even when you didn’t realize. From the beginning, it’s always been you. And I’d do it over and over again until we both get what we deserve. The gods might act in ways we don’t understand but they’re not oblivious, everything they do has a reason,” he stopped, holding Prompto’s gaze firmly without any room to escape, “I’d always choose you again, forever.”

Prompto had expected lots of things when he’d asked that question but the little speech Noctis had just given hadn’t been among them. The way he opened his very soul so clearly and without any fear was something Prompto still couldn’t fully comprehend.

 _I’d always choose you again, forever_. Coming from Noctis, those words almost sounded like poetry, luring him in and never letting him go.

He’d never really realized how much importance, how much heaviness the word _forever_ carried. Forever was everything that anyone was given, all their life, all their time, everything they were. Noctis made the promise of forever seem so easy.

He struggled to make his voice work. “You mean that? Forever?”

“I can repeat it if you’d like me to,” Noctis chuckled, “Forever. I’m sure, as long as you’re still with me that is.” He said more firmly, a crooked smile only making the statement seem more genuine, more _him_.

Prompto didn’t know what to think. The way Noctis had said that he’d always chosen him, even in the past, made him feel warm inside, as if there were flames curling around his body, sparks buzzing in his fingertips.

The other’s words had also made it apparent that the feelings he’d harboured for his best friend in the past hadn’t been as one-sided as he used to think they were. Why Noctis would have chosen him when he’d been able to have almost everyone was absolutely _beyond_ him but he wouldn’t waste more time to dwell on the past. They’d wasted enough already.

“I’ll be at your side as long as you want me to, that hasn’t changed only because I said that ten years ago,” he said, unable to hide his grin any longer, “But if you’re sure then… I wouldn’t mind spending forever with you.”

Though they’d spent quite some time together during the last few days, he’d never seen Noctis look at him like he did now.

The corners of his lips lifted upward, making his eyes crinkle and his entire face light up. The expression made an unexpected warmth rush through Prompto, burning all the anxieties in his chest and turning them to ash effortlessly. He didn’t feel like he did back when he’d sat around a campfire with all of his friends the last time with the fire warming his body. This time, it felt as if the fire was in his soul, burning bright from inside out.

He’d been so focused on what he was feeling that he had failed to notice Noctis’ hand reaching out until it cupped his jaw. The others cool fingers were a contrast to the heat in his own body and sent a shockwave through him, making him shiver in a way he was sure Noctis must have noticed.

Noctis closed the remaining distance between them slowly and steadily, kissing him as though he was dangerously fragile, threatening to shatter underneath his fingertips. Prompto tilted his head in a way that had become familiar to him but despite that he still doubted that he’d ever become used to Noctis displaying his affection towards him so openly. He also doubted that he’d ever _want_ to become used to it.

The fog and the dark waves that he’d been so fixated on a few moments before were quick to be forgotten, now only serving as an almost inaudible sound in the background. It was easy to ignore them when the beating of his own heart seemed to be so much louder and he was pretty sure that Noctis could hear it if he wanted to.

Their kiss remained like that for a while – soft, a bit hesitant even – before it deepened. Prompto turned his body towards the other a bit more, placing one hand on his shoulder, steadying himself with the other one that remained on the ground. Noctis opened his mouth a bit, granting Prompto access as if he’d asked a silent question, letting him dominate the kiss. Usually Noctis succeeded in gaining the upper hand but this time he didn’t even try to intervene, feeling completely relaxed under the grip of Prompto’s hand that was still on his shoulder.

Somehow, he seemed to know that right now, the other just needed this. Needed some little piece of control whilst everything else around them was so utterly turbulent.

Noctis’ hand wandered to the back of his neck, holding Prompto tight against himself, slowly carding his fingers through short blond strands. Prompto was still completely caught up in the moment, trying to memorize every part of the man in front of him. His scent, the taste of him on his own tongue – it was all so unique that he wanted to hold onto it with everything he had.

Suddenly, Noctis pulled away, making Prompto look at him questioningly. Before he got the chance to ask why he’d ended their kiss so abruptly, he heard heavy footsteps coming closer.

“We’re gonna arrive in a few – sorry, am I interrupting something here?” Gladio asked. It seemed like they weren’t quick enough to separate, either that or he’d noticed both of them breathing heavily despite sitting down.

Noctis was the first one to find his voice again. “Kinda. A few minutes you said?”

“Yeah, better start to get ready.” With that, the shield left again, leaving them in silence once more.

Prompto coughed, trying to get his heart to beat normally again. “So… you ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come yell at me on [tumblr](https://solislucinus.tumblr.com)!!


	22. Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You know, if you don’t wanna do this we can still…”
> 
> “No, not again. I won’t lose anything to him ever again. I… We’ll end it now.” Noctis interrupted. His tone was sharp, not nearly as shaky as Prompto’s own voice was right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're slowly getting closer to the end of this story! There will be around 2-3 more chapters I'd say but I'm not too sure about that yet so we'll see :)
> 
> For now, I hope you enjoy this one! <3

Angelgard wasn’t like anything Prompto had ever seen before.

 

As soon as he first stepped onto the ground of the island he could feel the air around him change, making for a whole different atmosphere. It felt as if there was invisible magic floating through the air – small lightning bolts that pricked at the exposed skin of his arms and face. The feeling of it made him think of the snowstorm he’d been in whilst in Gralea. The icy snowflakes that had felt like needles on his cheeks due to their velocity had almost felt the same.

He’d always wondered why this place wasn’t some kind of huge tourist attraction since its place right next to Galdin Quay would be perfect for it after all. Now he knew why – the eerie atmosphere that seemed to surround Angelgard like a bubble made him want to turn around and leave again as soon as possible.

Looking around, he realized that he didn’t seem to be the only one affected by that. Gladio seemed rather suspicious as well, steps light and quiet as if he was waiting for something to attack them. Ignis, who was normally so conscious of his surroundings despite his lack of sight didn’t look too sure either. He almost looked a little lost and Prompto had to hold himself back from offering to guide him along the rocky path, guessing that Ignis would most likely turn that offer down anyway out of sheer pride.

The only one who didn’t seem to be the least bit affected by everything that was going on around him was Noctis. He didn’t look as if he had to force himself to move his feet like the other ones, there was a confidence in his step that Prompto couldn’t help but to admire.

Still, Prompto knew that it was mostly façade. Over the course of all the years he’d known Noctis, he’d learned that there were often small signs in his body language of how he really felt. He tried to hide it – and it worked with almost everyone – but Prompto’s gaze seemed to be locked onto his clenched jaw and fists that were just a little too tight.

“You okay?” He asked quietly, hoping that their friends in front of them wouldn’t hear his question.

Noctis looked at him, his fingers uncurling a bit. “Yeah, I’m fine. Are you?”

“To be honest, I’ve been better,” he smiled at the other before his voice got more serious, “You know, if you don’t wanna do this we can still…”

“No, not again. I won’t lose anything to _him_ ever again. I… We’ll end it now.” Noctis interrupted. His tone was sharp, not nearly as shaky as Prompto’s own voice was right now.

Prompto moved a bit closer and took the other’s hand in his, silently giving him something to hold onto, replacing the need to dig his fingers into his palm. The simple contact immediately made Prompto feel more secure as well and if he really concentrated he could almost feel a little spark of confidence that made it easier to assure himself that they were able to do this.

They followed the path they’d been walking on for a few more minutes before it finally ended, leading them to an open space.

It was surrounded by pillars and sculptures that made Prompto feel incredibly small all of a sudden. He couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was someone watching them, maybe even more than one person. Despite there not being anyone around them, he felt as if there was a cold gaze being locked onto him, following his every movement and never for a second letting go. The more he tried to find an explanation for all this, the more helpless he felt, like a deer in the headlights frozen in place.

The centre of the circular space felt far too open. The knowledge that there wasn’t anything here that would shield him from potential danger made him realize how small vulnerable he really was.

By now, they’d all gathered in the middle and were looking around, taking in everything they could see.

Noctis was looking at the statues, carefully scanning each one.

“Isn’t that Ramuh?” Gladio asked just as Prompto was about to do the same.

“It is, and that’s Shiva right there,” Noctis answered whilst pointing at another one, still not looking away, “All the Astrals, actually.” He then stated.

Prompto had heard plenty of tales surrounding the island. He knew that it was the place where the gods would bestow their powers upon humanity – But that was common knowledge by now. It had even been taught in school on multiple occasions, being such an important part of Eos and all. Despite this, hearing it being told as a simple story that took place somewhere in history and actually seeing it in person were two completely different things.

“I thought Angelgard was some kind of prison island, not a holy meeting place for the Six.” Gladio said, confusion visible in his expression.

“That’s also true,” Ignis spoke, “But that only became the case later. The Astrals used to meet in this place in order for humanity to gain their power. After that, criminals were sent here to reflect upon their sins and were then judged by Ramuh.”

“Judged?” Prompto asked. He hadn’t heard of that before.

“He’d smite criminals that were deemed unworthy with a bolt of lightning, like you guys have seen back when I summoned him.” Noctis answered.

“Not bad,” Gladio said, “I didn’t know there was so much to it. Judgement, huh? Seems to be the perfect place for Ardyn then.”

“You can say that again,” Prompto said, eyes now focused onto the six statues surrounding them as well, “But I still don’t understand… I mean, why would he choose Angelgard out of all places when it’s still considered a somehow holy place?”

“That might be the case but as I mentioned before, it was later an island for criminals rather than a holy place.” Ignis explained.

Noctis took a few steps towards another statue, Bahamut, if Prompto remembered correctly. “He’s a usurper and the Six know that. They were the ones that cursed him with immortality after all so it makes sense to bring him back here.”

His words reminded Prompto of what he’d said back when they were in the cave a few hours ago even though it already seemed to be so much longer ago than that. Prompto had never really wasted any thought on the possibility of eternal life or what it would be like. If someone had asked him a few days ago what he thought of it, he would’ve probably replied that it was a gift – Getting to live forever without having to fear death or what came after.

He’d never thought about it because he never knew that it could very well become reality, granted the gods wanted it to be that way. For him, a long life would be blessing enough because he’d always known that he hadn’t been _made_ to live long.

The reason behind Ardyn actually being here had become much clearer now. The man had most likely been cursed here, so what better place to end it once and for all?

His thoughts were interrupted by Gladio chuckling next to him. “Or he’s simply still thinking that he’s some kind of almighty god who’s always deserved the throne so much more.”

“I think by now he should know that he’s not the chosen king. Otherwise he could’ve gladly gone into the crystal for ten years instead of me,” Noctis replied, voice monotonous as if he’d rather not speak about that topic. None of them had dared to ask him what the time in the crystal had been like. Prompto had even suspected that he didn’t remember anything about it, that maybe it had been like a coma but apparently that was not the case. Still, he doubted that now was a good time to bring it up.

Prompto’s gaze had been focused on the statue of Leviathan when out of the corner of his eye he suddenly saw Noctis press both his hands against his forehead again, the same way he’d done it whenever he’d gotten visions.

“Noct? You alright?” He asked, approaching the other one and placing a hand one his shoulder so he wouldn’t scare him in case he was already lost in yet another vision.

Underneath the palm of his hand, he could clearly feel Noctis shaking. His voice was brittle when he murmured the word _codes_ again and again.

“What’s going on? Is it another vision? Do you see something?” Gladio asked, the loud tone a contrast to Prompto’s soft voice and Noctis’ mumbling.

“Don’t,” Prompto replied, followed by a disapproving look, “Give him time.”

Gladio threw his hands up in surrender, hushing out a quiet apology before remaining silent. He hadn’t meant to say it so harshly but he knew that Gladio wouldn’t be mad at him for it. The shield had always been extremely protective of Noctis as well, so seeing Prompto act in a similar way now shouldn’t surprise him. Noctis had kneeled down onto the ground by now and Prompto was quick to follow, Ignis also remaining close by, seemingly trying to listenito the other’s almost inaudible words.

Usually the visions had always been over within a minute, some of them only lasting a few seconds even. This time though it seemed to go on for much longer and Prompto felt as if he’d been sitting on the ground for hours already. The feeling of Noctis quivering under the palm of his hand was still apparent but he didn’t dare move it away, hoping that it would help the other find his way back to reality easier.

After what could very well have been eternity for all of them, the mumbling finally stopped and Noctis opened his eyes again. They looked glassy, almost as if he wasn’t fully himself yet.

“Back with us?” Prompto asked, trying to get the other to look at him.

He eventually did and it looked like he finally snapped out of whatever state he’d been in, then he nodded slowly. “I’m okay now. Thanks for staying with me, you guys.”

“There’s no need for that, you should know by now that we wouldn’t leave you.” Ignis said and it sounded like he was scolding Noctis. For once, Prompto agreed. “Can you tell us what you saw?” He then asked.

“At first I saw the barcodes on our wrists and then just… Lightning.” There was weakness in his voice that made Prompto’s hold on him tighten a bit.

“Did you hear anything?” Gladio asked. According to Noctis, he hadn’t heard anything in the past few visions he’d had but maybe this time that had changed as well.

“I did. There was my Dad’s voice and he repeated what he’s said to me before I came back.”

Up until now neither Prompto nor any of their other friends had asked about Noctis meeting his father because they hadn’t wanted to invade something that was most likely very personal to him.

Before Prompto had the time to finish his inner debate of whether or not he should ask him what exactly his father had said, Noctis spoke up again.

“He said that where there’s light there’s shadow but only in the dark I could see the stars. But it just doesn’t make sense to me, what does that even mean? And why does he keep saying it?”

“Well, think about it this way; The sun is the brightest thing in the universe, right? But even something as bright and powerful as the sun makes everything it shines upon cast shadows.” Gladio explained, trying to make sense of the sentence.

“And what about that part with the stars?”

“Maybe sometimes to appreciate the light you need to have experienced what it’s like to be without it.” Prompto said, looking down onto the ground and distracting himself by looking at his shoes. What he’d said was simply too close to what they’d all lived through not long ago.

He’d barely finished speaking before someone else interrupted him. “Beautifully said.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> you can also find me on [tumblr](https://solislucinus.tumblr.com) !!


	23. Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No, he’d promised. He’d promised himself that he wouldn’t ever let him go just like that again, seeing him fade away as if he’d never been more than one of the million stars fading away with every damn sunrise he’d had to witness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you're ready for this chapter! I really liked writing this one despite everyone's all-time favorite character making an appearance again but... see for yourself :'D
> 
> Enjoy!!

The heavy footsteps behind him made Prompto hold his breath, along with everyone else. Even the lightning that had struck up until a few seconds ago had stopped. Despite the consistent sounds it was quiet, so quiet.

“I wish I’d known you could be so poetic, maybe I would’ve kept you myself then. Truly a pity, isn’t it?”

Ardyn’s voice never failed to make him freeze, even though he probably should’ve become used to it after all this time. The way he formed his words with a silvery tone made an unpleasant shiver run down his spine. The man had always spoken to him as if he was a small animal that had just been caught in one of his traps, which might not be too far off from the truth. Prompto had never liked feeling trapped.

His throat felt too tight all of a sudden as if there was an invisible hand holding onto him tightly, his eyes were watering and _why was it so damn hard to breathe?_

The sound of him swallowing cut through the silence like a bullet, ricocheting off of every rock around him. The sweet smile Ardyn directed at him erased any hope he had left that maybe the man hadn’t heard and Prompto could just pretend not to be scared for a little longer.

“What do you want from us?” Gladio asked, standing there with broad shoulders, as if subconsciously shielding them.

“After all this time, this is the welcome I get? I really did expect better of you, I have to say.” Prompto wondered if that sugary voice made only him feel nauseous or if the others were just better at hiding it than he was. Probably the latter.

“We’re not playing your games anymore. Just tell us what you want or go.” Noctis said, sparks of anger flaring up in deep blue eyes.

Ardyn’s smile didn’t falter for a single second. “I’d much rather know what it is _you_ want. You came to seek me out, which, by the way, saved me a lot of unnecessary work.”

So the man did want something from then, it hadn’t just been him bluffing or wanting to intimidate them. It wasn’t a surprise, really. Ardyn’s threats had always held a good amount of truth and promise in them. There was something he was after and Prompto had a good idea of what that was.

“I told you already, whatever game this is you’re playing – I’d advise you to stop it because this time you won’t win.” Noctis’ voice was confident, none of the stuttering or stumbling-over-words Prompto was sure he’d have to fight with if he spoke.

“I can assure you that I don’t want to play any sort of game with you, your Majesty, even though it would be a honor. You see, games usually require luck and that is something I won’t need. The only reason I’m here is to take back what has belonged to me all along.”

Prompto had been so busy fighting against the nausea slowly spreading through his stomach that he’d almost missed Ardyn’s last remark. Even if he would have missed it, the way Ardyn eyed his whole body spoke volumes. He wanted nothing more than to disappear but instead he only tucked his wrist that held the barcode on it behind his back. It had seemed as if it had caught Ardyn’s attention the most and maybe if he hid it he wouldn’t feel as vulnerable.

“I don’t see anything that could possibly belong to you so I’d say you’re just wasting your time here.” Gladio responded then.

If it hadn’t been so quiet, Prompto would have suspected that Ardyn simply didn’t hear the other speak but now it seemed as if he didn’t _want_ to hear him.

“Oh, there’s no need to hide,” Ardyn said in a calm voice, stepping a bit closer to where Prompto and Noctis stood, “What is it that you’re so scared of? I’d even consider us friends at this point!”

Up until now, there had been a good amount of distance between him and the group but with every step the man took Prompto’s breath became shorter and he had to focus in order to not let the dizziness he was feeling overtake him.

He was trembling all over. Cold fear washed over him, leaving him feeling as if he was struggling to stay above the surface of a dark ocean, trying to grasp onto every straw but not finding anyone to pull him up. That was, until a hand suddenly took his own, stilling the trembles and giving back some of the warmth he’d lost.

Noctis didn’t react to the state Prompto was in, at least not in a way that was visible to the others. Prompto felt the other’s fingers curl around his hand and he didn’t feel like drowning anymore. The bottomless ocean slowly ceased to be and suddenly he wasn’t swimming in cold water anymore, instead he was only walking in a cool summer rain. Once more he was baffled about the immediate effect Noctis’ simple action had on him, keeping him safe and sane with hardly any effort. He sent a quick prayer to the gods, thanking them for this – There was probably no better place to do so than this island anyways.

Ardyn looked down at their linked hands and smirked. “Well aren’t you two adorable.”

“Would it _kill_ you to just shut up?” Noctis responded to that, exterior still cold and untouchable. Still, he didn’t let go, didn’t even flinch.

“Technically there’s nothing I can think of that could kill me but I’m grateful for your suggestion.”

With that, Prompto could feel Noctis’ hand tighten its hold. The man hadn’t lost his immortality either then, which led him to believe that his powers most likely hadn’t vanished either. Prompto couldn’t help but start regretting even thinking that they could possibly take Ardyn on. Noctis had died once already so who was to say that it couldn’t end that way again? Last time, a tiny gesture had been enough for Prompto, Gladio and Ignis to fall unconscious in not even a second. If that happened again, there would be no way for Prompto to help Noctis – His own strength was no match, as much as it pained him to admit this.

No, he’d promised. He’d promised himself that he wouldn’t ever let him go just like that again, seeing him fade away as if he’d never been more than one of the million stars fading away with every damn sunrise he’d had to witness.

They’d never really spoken about what they’d do if they did end up encountering Ardyn for real, they’d only ever brushed it off with an _‘we have to try at_ _least’_ so that was what he was going to do. There was no turning back now anyway, no matter what he did so… might as well, right?

“So, you’re just gonna stand there or what? Seems to me like you’re all talk.” Noctis then said, mirroring Ardyn’s smirk perfectly. Prompto could see Gladio and Ignis visibly tense up, probably just as shocked as he himself was. Noctis had to be completely out of his mind to even _think_ about provoking the other man like that. Did he have some kind of plan the others weren’t aware of or did he still think that there was no truth to Ardyn’s words? No, that couldn’t be it. He had to be aware that they were putting their lives on the line here.

“Don’t you worry, we’ve got plenty of time to catch up a little. All eternity sounds about long enough, for me at least.” Ardyn responded, still not looking as if he was about to fight them anytime soon. He looked as if he was doing just that – catching up with some friends. Prompto knew that they’d have to be stupid to feel any kind of safety though.

Noctis huffed, “That sounds nice and all but sadly we don’t have as much time as you.”

“You have just as much time as I want you two to have.” Ardyn said matter-of-factly.

Before any of them got a chance to respond, the man reached out towards Prompto’s wrist as if wanting to grab it. Prompto would have pulled his hand back immediately because there was no way he’d let this man touch him if it wasn’t for the fact that he still felt frozen in place, not realizing fast enough what was happening.

“The hell you think you’re doing?” Noctis hissed, having watched them and now stepping in immediately, making Ardyn unable to reach.

“Please, I won’t hurt him. I’d explain but it’s much easier to show you, I’m afraid.”

“Fine, take my wrist then,” Noctis answered, holding out his hand.

Ardyn held it up and looked at the lines and numbers of the barcode until something seemed to have caught his eye. “Ah, there it is.”

“Yeah, a code. Didn’t notice that before.” Noctis responded, voice dripping with sarcasm.

The man that was still inspecting the code on the other’s wrist closely was now pointing out two letters that were right underneath the lines, next to the string of numbers. _NH_ was written there, black ink against pale skin and it made Prompto wonder why Ardyn would point it out. Sure, he’d wondered a few times what exactly all those numbers along with the two letters meant but over time he learned to deal with the fact that he’d probably never get an answer, so he’d just let them be. Now he wasn’t so sure anymore if he even wanted to know.

Ardyn chuckled. “It is indeed a code but there’s more to it, if you’d just let me translate it for you.”

Noctis’ patience seemed to be nearing its end by now, judging by his expression that grew more annoyed as the seconds passed by. He made a gesture with his hand towards his wrist, telling the man to go on instead of answering.

“As much as I’d love to tell you that it’s just some randomized serial code, it’s really so much more.” Ardyn stopped, sighing theatrically before continuing, “It tells us who you are, or rather _what_ you are made of. Parts, so to speak.”

“ _Parts?”_ Noctis exclaimed, clearly not following entirely.

“Parts, pieces, genetical modifications, whatever works for you. That’s what makes you _you_. Nothing more, nothing less.”

 _Nothing more._ After Gralea, Prompto had spent a lot of time trying to come to terms with what he’d found out about himself and about where he came from and who he really was. He’d always known that he was different, being faced with an unknown past every day and nobody to tell him about it.

Telling his friends about him being _one of them_ had been one of the most difficult things he’d had to do in his life up until that point and it had been absolutely terrifying. Still, they’d accepted him without treating him any different from before and something about him still being a crown citizen, if only to them, had made the whole thing a tiny bit easier.

Accepting his origins himself though was something he hadn’t managed to ever do, no matter how hard he tried to pretend that everything was okay as long as he could feel his own heartbeat underneath his chest.

Hearing that he was nothing more than what he didn’t want to be now felt like falling endlessly with nobody there to catch him. Cold and foreign when in reality he should be familiar with himself by now but he wasn’t. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever be.

Despite this, there was still a question that hadn’t been answered.

“What does NH mean then?”

“Non-human.”

It was so, so hard to breathe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading <3
> 
> by the way: everything about Prompto's barcode here is actually true, I read it on a post some time ago (that I can't find anymore but I'll keep searching lmao) and it was super interesting so I decided to add a bit of it in here since it did kinda inspire this.
> 
> you can also find me on [tumblr](https://solislucinus.tumblr.com) !!


	24. Eternal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He couldn’t help but think that he was supposed to feel something, was supposed to scream and cry and bury his head in his hands in order to hide his tears but none of that happened.
> 
> Empty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was struggling so much while writing this so I hope it's somewhat okay :o
> 
> By the way, thanks to everyone who's still sticking around to read this, I really do appreciate you guys a ton <3

For Prompto, ten years had quickly become a synonym for eternity. That’s what it felt like once darkness had been all he’d known. Then there was also the never-ending waiting – for the sun to peek through the dark clouds again, for anything good, for a miracle – that had made time feel as if it never passed. Calendar pages were flipped, clocks ticked and ‘good mornings’ were said but all of it seemed to make time slow down even more until it stopped entirely.

He could still remember how he’d felt when he was confronted with who he really was in Gralea for the first time. As soon as the echo of the bullet he’d fired at Verstael had ceased, time had seemed to be standing still then, too.

It should be funny, really, how similar the situation right now was to then. Standing in front of Ardyn, trying hard not to show how scared he was of everything that was happening in the facility whilst fearing for his life at the same time.

Maybe a decade had just been too small of an eternity to change anything.

He’d known that he wasn’t the same as everyone else, he’d always known, but he had always more or less succeeded in pretending that those differences didn’t exist. As long as he could cover up the thin black lines, letters and numbers with bracelets he’d be safe and nobody would ever be able to tell. The thought that he couldn’t be _that_ different from everyone else because no one ever looked at him as if he were any different had assured him a lot.

Knowing that he was different and knowing exactly what made him different were two such opposite things, after all.

All his life he’d held onto what small reassurance he’d had and seeing it being made meaningless by two simple words in the span of not even a second seemed bizarre. He didn’t feel anything – there was no overwhelming sadness, disappointment or even anger directed at himself or someone else. There was nothing. That’s all there was.

It reminded him of the time he’d injured his wrist during a battle - one small moment of not paying attention was all it had taken. Back then, he hadn’t had a potion right away and wasting a whole phoenix down if not absolutely necessary was risky, so he’d tried to bear it somehow. After a while, the initial pain slowly went away, replaced by numbness, luring him into thinking that somehow his wrist had fixed itself. When he’d tried moving it, sharp pain had shot through it, obviously still there underneath the numb feeling.

He couldn’t help but think that he was supposed to feel something, was supposed to scream and cry and bury his head in his hands in order to hide his tears but none of that happened.

_Empty._

Instead of looking at Ardyn who had let go of Noctis’ wrist by now, he was staring at the ground once again, wishing that he could just disappear with all his friends and find a place that was safe. But then again, an island that was ruled and looked over by the gods was technically supposed to be the safest place there was. However, with Ardyn’s presence the fact that they were on Angelgard suddenly didn’t matter that much anymore.

Nobody had dared to speak, even Gladio seemed to have decided to stay quiet, until a chuckle broke the silence.

“Didn’t think I could make our dearest Noct speechless so easily. I’m surprised, I must say, pleasantly at that.”

Hearing Ardyn use Noctis’ nickname made Prompto’s blood run cold. This time, he didn’t feel numb. Underneath all that fear, uneasiness and anxiety was anger, glowing bright and red.

The simple use of the name had made him look up, only to be met with the man’s smiling face that never seemed to change its expression. He knew that Ardyn only did this to get some kind of reaction out of him, to find his weakest points in order to use them against him. Prompto didn’t _want_ him to have that much power but he felt like an open book just waiting to be read.

There was no use in trying to hide his weaknesses anyways, not when they were so obvious. Ardyn knew, he always did. The man most likely knew more than all of them combined, either that or he was just outstandingly good at playing his own game.

Only now he noticed that Noctis had refused to let go of his hand through all of this, still holding onto it and squeezing it as soon as Prompto had felt anger flare up inside him. He must have noticed the sudden change in his mood and Prompto couldn’t help but be thankful for it once more, concentrating on the way the other’s fingers carefully curled tightly around his own instead of the whirlwind of overwhelming emotions he was feeling.

“Why are you telling us all this now? It’s not like we didn’t know about the barcodes.” Noctis asked.

They did know about the barcodes and what they meant but only to a certain extent. Prompto did know that they marked someone as an MT but that was about all of his knowledge. The exact meaning of all those numbers and letters had been unknown to him and everyone else up until a few minutes ago.

When he was younger, he’d always wanted to know who he was, where he came from and why nobody seemed to have any information for him about something he had every right to know. Thoughts like that had kept him awake at night plenty of times with him tossing and turning, wondering and wishing for things unknown.

That’s what it _had_ been like. Once he’d gotten to know Noctis better, along with Gladio and Ignis a short while after that, the thin black lines hadn’t held as much significance as they once did anymore. Suddenly, they hadn’t felt as if they were etched deeply in his skin anymore and some days he’d been surprised upon seeing them after taking his bracelets off. For the first time in his life, he’d felt as if he truly belonged somewhere. As if there really was a place for him in this world that had never seemed to be his.

Now, he wished that he could take that feeling back. Just reach out into the past, grab it and keep it close. The same one he’d gotten when Noctis had assured him that despite his self-doubts, he was indeed good enough. Still, wishing wouldn’t help any of them right now and he told himself that he could do that later, given that he’d get an opportunity for doing so.

“Well, someone had to do it since your lover here has failed to educate you, it seems.” Ardyn answered, turning to Prompto with his arms crossed. The man’s smug expression seemed to grow more intense with every sentence he spoke, as if he was just waiting for them to say something he could latch onto.

Even though he felt Noctis’ presence right next to him, he couldn’t turn his head to look at him. He was _scared_. Everything about it felt wrong, unnatural even. There seemed to be a million voices inside his head screaming that this wasn’t supposed to happen to them.

It dawned upon Prompto that this wasn’t just him being anxious. Their bond had allowed them to share emotions, given that they were strong enough in the past and this seemed to continue now. He’d never questioned how strong their bond itself was, simply because he’d never thought about doubting it but now he did.

_A rubber band ready to snap. A glass vial shortly before being dropped to the floor._

All this time he’d really thought that Ardyn had just been bluffing because there was no way to destroy something that had been created by the gods. Not when the man himself had already received what he now considered the worst curse one could be given. So how was it possible for him to turn diamonds into glass so fragile it would break with a single touch?

“Aren’t you disappointed? Not even a little bit? Just imagine what kind of secrets he could’ve kept inside that pretty head of his.” Ardyn’s words _hurt_ and Prompto wanted nothing more than to yell at him to stop.

He felt himself slipping, holding onto strings that were threatening to snap.

“I’m not.”

Noctis’ answer seemed as if the words were a struggle for him to form but despite this, they made it easier to find his way back to reality again. His hand in Prompto’s was cold and clammy but it was _there_.

“Certainly a naïve way of thinking for a king, hm?” Ardyn said, tilting his head and pretending to be deep in thought before continuing, “I wonder what your father would say about this. Seeing his utterly loyal son stand here next to a magitek soldier, something he’s killed thousands of in the past… The universe sure does work in funny ways.”

Prompto didn’t think that the atmosphere could get any more tense, but as soon as Ardyn had ended his sentence, it did. It was so quiet that he was sure he could hear the blood rush through his veins, with not even the waves crashing against the far away shore audible anymore.

There were no more doubts in his mind whether the man was trying to throw them off on purpose or not, that much was clear. Using Prompto’s past against them was one thing – bringing Noctis’ father into it was something else entirely. Even though Noctis had always tried to push his feelings of grief and loss away during their roadtrip, they all knew that it was far from easy for him. The burdens that weighted on his shoulders just continued to pile up and there was only so much pushing away someone could do until they crumbled under the weight, especially with a heavy crown sitting on their head. Prompto suspected that No tis had found some solace in the fact that he could carry on doing what his father would want him to do – protecting his people and the kingdom that had become his own much faster than any of them were prepared for.

He’d never been given any real time to grieve and because of this Prompto could only imagine how painful that wound must still be, stitched together with threads that were far too lose.

“Good that that’s none of your business then,” Gladio replied with a bitter voice, ending the deafening silence that had seemed to settle over Angelgard.

Ardyn didn’t seem to be the least bit intimidated by that. “I beg your pardon, I honestly didn’t mean to pry into family business.”

“Like hell you didn’t,” Noctis managed to say. His voice was shaky, fragile like glass.

“But if you miss him so dearly I’m sure we could arrange something, all you have to do is ask,” Ardyn replied without missing a beat, “How does a reunion sound?”

Once more Prompto wanted nothing more than to scream at Ardyn, the gods or anyone who would possibly listen to him to _stop_ this. The way in which Ardyn chose his words was unnerving and sent a chill down Prompto’s spine. The man was so utterly calculating, figuring out which buttons to press before any of them had a chance to prevent him from doing so.

Noctis didn’t reply, the only thing he did was staring into Ardyn’s eyes with an unreadable expression. He didn’t nod, didn’t refuse, didn’t move a single muscle, as if hypnotized.

“That’s a yes then?” Ardyn said, having answered himself already.

Before any of them could act, the man was already reaching out towards Noctis once more, a dark aura surrounding him. Prompto didn’t need to see any more in order to know that this was bad and time was running out with Ardyn inching closer and closer. He couldn’t let this happen. Not again.

_I won’t lose anything to him ever again._

The thought almost made him smile as he felt darkness engulf him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! <3 
> 
> you can also find me on [tumblr](https://solislucinus.tumblr.com) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/scylaire)


	25. Scourge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was also at a complete loss for possible explanations as to what this place was. Whatever or wherever it was, it couldn’t be part of the world he’d been living in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you can forgive me for making this chapter a bit shorter than the others, I ended up splitting it cause it makes a bit more sense that way, to me at least :'D
> 
> Also, this is the second to last one so stay tuned for the finale (and the epilogue)!

The first thing Prompto felt was pain.

A dull, throbbing pain began to spread through his chest, making him feel as if he’d just received a powerful punch from an iron giant. The sensation knocked what little air he’d had left over out of him, which desperately made him want to have the ability to take deep breaths back, just one, just a few seconds to make him feel alive again.

Right now, he wasn’t so sure if that was still the case. He couldn’t hold back the thought that maybe that was the reason for him not being able to breathe properly or at all, maybe there was no use for oxygen in his lungs anymore.

Was this it? The end he’d been so terrified of, or rather, still was?

He tried to calm himself down a bit, holding onto the assurance that if he could remain conscious surely that meant that he _had_ to be alive, there was no other logical explanation for it.

The next thing he noticed was the eerie silence. It was that kind of silence he’d been surrounded with when his friends and him had first heard that Insomnia had fallen or when they’d found out that the King had died. In those moments, the world had seemed to stand still just for them, a few seconds of quiet nothingness that couldn’t have been louder if they tried. Because of that, he didn’t trust the silence anymore, not when it had the power to be so loud.

The darkness that surrounded him made the atmosphere feel more threatening, draping itself over him like a heavy blanket, weighing him down to a non-existent ground. As he took this all in he realized that there was absolutely nothing here. No matter where he looked, he was only met with darkness.

Strangely enough, he could still see his hands in front of him, which made him think that there had to be a source of light somewhere. The silhouettes were barely recognizable but it wasn’t pitch-black at least and that was already more than he could ask for.

“Is there anybody?” He called out. Prompto didn’t expect an answer, almost hoped that there wouldn’t be anyone or anything here because they could very well pose a potential threat as long as he didn’t know a thing about this place.

Sure enough, he was only met with silence, wondering if the words he’d spoken had even been audible.

The fact that he was all by himself calmed him down but at the same time it made him feel worse. It seemed like his friends had been left behind when Ardyn had tried to attack Noctis and he’d stepped in without thinking about the consequences.

_Noctis._

An unpleasant shiver ran down his spine with just the thought of Noctis still being with the man that was hell-bent on breaking them apart as fast as possible with no way of fixing their bond ever again. Prompto didn’t even want to think about what could happen if he’d succeed. There were still so many unanswered questions about the tale of soulmates, as Ignis had called it, though he doubted that Ardyn didn’t have the answers to them. The man was immortal, he’d been living a lot longer than they had, so it would only make sense for him to know about tales of the past.

He didn’t regret stepping in, not in the slightest. Before his friends and him had set out in Insomnia ten years ago, they’d swore an oath to protect the prince no matter what, even if it would cost them their own lives. The decision to give up the privilege of being alive came easy to him, as long as it meant that Noctis would be out of harm’s way if he did so. Protecting him had always been closest to his heart – Thinking back, the oath had only been formality. That had always been the case and them becoming soulmates had only strengthened that opinion more.

What he did regret though was leaving him behind like that. He tried telling himself that he’d done the only thing he’d been able to do in order to protect Noctis – Just like he’d promised himself he would. Still, he couldn’t help but think about the possibility of there being another option. If they were meant to be together, how had it been so easy for Ardyn to tear them apart? A small gesture performed in the blink of an eye, was that really all it took?

Prompto’s mind was filled with thoughts of Noctis again, uneasiness because of this strange place and fear of what could happen to him fading away like smoke into the night air, now only a low hum somewhere in the back of his mind.

All of a sudden, something appeared in front of him, making him wonder if he’d moved without noticing or if it had really just appeared out of seemingly nowhere. With this darkness, it was hard to tell. At first, there were only small, dull specks of light before they eventually began to form into something bigger. They reminded Prompto of the numerous Christmas decorations he’d seen in Insomnia. Houses, trees, streets – Everything had been covered with fairy lights that shone through a blanket of snow.

Before he had the chance to realize it he reached out, wanting to touch the lights, wrap them all around him. It was as if they had some kind of magnet with which they pulled him in, promising to make the darkness less threatening if he allowed himself to give into them.

The lights seemed as if they could read his mind with the way they wrapped themselves around his hand as soon as the mere thought of wanting to touch them entered his mind. Not only did they give off a warm, calming glow, they did also feel warm to the touch. The feeling spread out through his entire body, making him shiver from the way that the coldness from the dark was being replaced by warmth that felt so incredibly familiar. He almost couldn’t remember what being scared felt like.

Around him, the darkness he’d almost gotten used to slowly seemed to fade, giving way to light that pushed the dark atmosphere away easily. The sight of it was as strange as it was fascinating and Prompto was sure that he’d never seen something that could compare to what he was seeing right now. He was also at a complete loss for possible explanations as to what this place was. Whatever or wherever it was, it couldn’t be part of the world he’d been living in.

An almost unnoticeable vignette of the darkness stayed behind, lurking at the corners of his eyes as if to remind him that it was still there, even though the lighting seemed to have overpowered it for now. There was no telling how long it would last and so he desperately tried to find some orientation, something to possibly help him find out where he was supposed to go in order to get back to where he knew he was needed more than ever. His chest tightened again at that thought but he tried to ignore it as best as he could, which wasn’t very good but he had to try, if not for his sake then for Noctis’ and their friends.

The warmth that crawled up and down his body made him aware that the lights from before were still there, encircling the hand he was holding them in, wrapping themselves around his fingers, filling the spaces with their warmth. The familiarity of it almost shocked him because he wasn’t expecting to feel something like it in a place that was so scarily foreign to him. Even though the world around him had gotten much lighter now, he was still none the wiser about where he was. Did anyone know he was here, alive in this space that seemed to be in between the living and the dead?

Suddenly, a voice like thunder seemed to crack through the silence, much deeper than anything Prompto had ever heard before. The deafening volume of it thrummed in his ears, his instincts screaming at him to curl up and protect himself from whatever this was. He could clearly hear that someone was attempting to speak to him but he couldn’t make out a single word, no matter how hard he tried to concentrate. In a silent place like this it should’ve been easy enough but for some reason it wasn’t.

“What are you saying? Whoever you are, I can’t understand you!” He said loudly, hoping that they had the ability to hear his words, even if he seemed to have no such luck.

“Showing my appearance to you is impossible, though your bond to the King of Light should suffice in order to understand the words I speak.” The faceless voice spoke again, thunder from before slowly merging into words that were understandable. Some progress, at least.

“Where am I? And who are you?” He asked, opting for the questions that had been nagging at his mind for what seemed like forever.

“You are not dead and neither are you alive. There is no place like this in the world you know as it goes beyond human imagination but as the Bladekeeper I shall guide you.”

Prompto’s eyes widened in shock upon hearing the Bladekeeper – or Bahamut, as he knew him – talk to him from out of nowhere. Just a few minutes ago he’d been on earth next to Noctis and now he was apparently not only half-dead but also speaking to an Astral? Bahamut had spoken of _beyond human imagination_ but Prompto was pretty sure that even this conversation went _far_ beyond something he could consider real. He was no king, he wasn’t even fully human according to Ardyn – so why would an Astral choose him to speak to?

“Why are you talking to me?”

“The Astrals have chosen you as the King of Light’s true soulmate. He alone cannot banish the Starscourge incarnate even if his own blood price is paid, not as long as there is still a bond that binds him to the world of the living.”

The way Bahamut spoke made it seem as if Noctis had never been destined to die the way he did. It hadn’t been enough to erase the darkness fully – hence why Ardyn had managed to come back unscathed. The sun shone again, that much was true but now that only seemed to be façade to hide everything that still lay beneath.

“What does that mean? If I’m the one holding him here… what am I supposed to do then?” Prompto wasn’t sure whether he wanted to hear the answer to that.

“In order for the Chosen King to erase the Starscourge fully, you as his soulmate must remain at his side at all times, even if it costs your life. The bond shared between two souls has the power to be stronger than death itself, though it is not indestructible. The only one who holds the ability to do this is the holder of the Starscourge itself.”

He’d never been supposed to let Noctis go. He’d always been supposed to go _with_ him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (in case you feel like you've read about the place in this chapter before: yes, it appeared in the noct's pov chapter so that might clear up some confusion)
> 
> you can also find me on [tumblr](https://solislucinus.tumblr.com) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/scylaire)


	26. Sunburst

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The thunder inside him made it feel as though he was invincible, impossible to defeat, untouchable. High on the adrenaline that coursed through his veins at the speed of sound, carried by lightning that struck all over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I am so sorry for disappearing for so long. To keep it short, there's been a lot going on in life and the last few weeks weren't really the best for me. On top of that I'm in the middle of my finals right now so I'm sure you can imagine x.x
> 
> buuuut I finally managed to finish this! This chapter was such a struggle and I honestly can't tell you how many times I rewrote sections of it but hey, it's done! I hope you'll enjoy this last one <3

_“In order for the Chosen King to erase the Starscourge fully, you as his soulmate must remain at his side at all times, even if it costs your life. The bond shared between two souls has the power to be stronger than death itself, though it is not indestructible. The only one who holds the ability to do this is the holder of the Starscourge itself.”_

Bahamut’s words and the realization that Noctis had never been supposed to go through his self-sacrifice alone left Prompto speechless, unknowing what to think. Hearing it from the Bladekeeper himself was simply too much to take in, especially for him as a mere mortal.

He knew that there had been absolutely no way for him to know that he’d been supposed to stand by Noctis when he walked up those Citadel stairs and beyond. Still, he couldn’t help but feel regret and disappointment towards himself now, knowing that he’d had the chance to help any maybe none of this would have happened.

Prompto tried to push those feelings away as best as he could. It wasn’t like they’d never thought about possibilities, about some way to save Noctis and the world. For him, one had never made much sense without the other. He first realized this when they’d gotten back daylight after living in darkness and fear for a decade. While everyone was outside, seeking out every sunray they could from early morning until the last trace of the sunset, he felt like he couldn’t enjoy the changed world the way everyone else could. For him, the sunrays shining through his blinds onto the wall had become a new reminder of the dull darkness inside of him that had never went away during those ten years.

It had, however, went away when he’d first touched Noctis’ hand that rested on the throne when he’d gone to Insomnia in order to bring him back and ever since then he struggled to remember what that dark feeling inside of him had felt like.

For now, he decided to ask more questions while he had the chance to. If the others were fighting, then so would he, even if just to gain knowledge that could very well end up saving their lives.

“How am I supposed to remain at his side when he is so much stronger? I wouldn’t stand a chance in battle or in front of the Astrals.” It was true. Noctis had the power of gods – That’s what had made it possible to stand up to Ardyn. If it came down to it, Prompto would fall faster than anyone, even the Six, would be able to save him.

“The Six have chosen to unite you as soulmates and gave you their blessings and with it, their power. He himself cannot harbour such an amount of it.” Bahamut spoke again.

“Wait, does this mean – That power, that blessing, has been given to me too in some way?” Prompto asked confused. He wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take. His brain was already struggling to absorb all this and somehow make sense of it. It was no surprise, mortals like him weren’t supposed to ever meet an Astral just like that, or talk to them, for that matter. At least that’s what he’d been believing.

“It has, though you do not know how to wield it. If there should come a time where you must make use of it, the blessing of the Six and the King of Light shall protect you. Attempting to wield it yourself will only put you in great danger.” The Astral answered.

There were a million questions burning in his mind about the power of the kings and how _and why_ it was connected to not only Noctis but himself as well. He was certain that he’d never have an opportunity like this again, one to get all those questions answered but time was running out and it wouldn’t wait for him to catch up.

“How do I go on now? What does it take for us to erase the Starscourge fully and forever?” He asked, determination audible in his voice. No matter what it would take – He’d end this. That’s what he promised.

“You shall go back to your soulmate now. In order to banish the usurper, sacrifices will have to be made, do not step back if there is a need for one. With the blessing of the Six and your bond as soulmates you possess a power greater than what you might imagine. Trust in us and go forth now.”

Before Prompto had the chance to ask what exactly Bahamut meant with sacrifices, he was wrapped in darkness once more, though this time the lights around him never left, no matter how fast he seemed to fall. They were right there by his side, making falling feel a bit like flying.

 

***

 

Bright flashes of red and blue blinded Prompto as soon as he tried to open his eyes, making him close them again.

Sharp rocks were digging into his back and his shoulders and he leaned away from them slightly, sitting up straighter instead of leaning against them. The first thing he noticed when he moved a bit was that his body was aching all over, screaming at him to remain unmoving in order to not cause him further discomfort. But there was something else. It felt as if there was a storm raging in his chest, letting lightning strike through him with an intensity unfamiliar to him. Well, not wholly unfamiliar – he could compare it to the potions Noctis used to make – but still, it felt a lot mightier and also a lot more uncontrollable now. There was an urge that made him want to touch something and see if his touch truly was as electric as it seemed.

The thunder inside him made it feel as though he was invincible, impossible to defeat, untouchable. High on the adrenaline that coursed through his veins at the speed of sound, carried by lightning that struck all over. He was a raging storm.

Opening his eyes didn’t seem like such a difficult task anymore and eventually he succeeded. The daylight stung in them but what really made him want to crawl back into darkness again were the bright flashes he’d already seen before. Sky-blue and blood-red. Red like Noctis’ visions. Never entwining, always clashing, fighting, dancing alongside each other in the cruellest of ways.

Every little thought in his mind screamed at him to flee immediately, get to safety as soon as possible and away from the scene that was playing out around him. There were clashing noises all around him, making it hard to pinpoint a safe location, if there even was one in this open space.

But he wouldn’t flee. He’d spent his whole life being scared; Scared of talking to Noctis, scared of being accepted into their group of friends, _terrified_ to fight back when his mind told him not to. Terrified to break the chains that were wrapped around his mind sometimes, locking away his ability to fight without hesitance. Whenever he’d looked into the glowing red eyes of MT’s that dropped down from yet another imperial ship, those chains had seemed to grow tighter and they _hurt_.

Only now he realized that he’d felt exactly the same way when he’d looked at Ardyn earlier.

_He alone cannot banish the Starscourge…_

_…even if it costs your life…_

Even though Bahamut had told him that the place he’d been in had been neither among the dead not the living, Prompto was pretty sure that by human standards he’d been considered dead. In the past, he’d never thought of himself of someone irreplaceable or unique because in his eyes, that simply wasn’t what he’d been _produced_ as. There were hundreds, probably even thousands of him – so what difference would one more or less make? Sure, his friends would be sad if something happened to him or he decided to leave the Crownsguard but they’d certainly find someone else sooner than they’d expect.

Those thoughts were turning into doubts now.

The Bladekeeper himself had told him that he was needed, that his soulmate needed him in order to banish the Starscourge, that he’d truly been needed all along. He had a purpose here, a duty to fulfil. But those positive thoughts weren’t the only ones that occupied his mind right now. There was also the knowledge of how Noctis must’ve felt carrying the weight of these burdens alone all his life with no one to really aid him. Prompto himself as well as Ignis and Gladio had always done their best to make him feel less alone but all of them knew that in the end, it would be Noctis fighting by himself. That had changed now and Prompto hoped that he’d get the chance to show his soulmate that they were in this together.

He’d gathered enough strength by now to get up slowly, knees shaking with the effort and muscles protesting. He fought against the urge to sink back down to the ground again and instead used it to push himself up until he stood fully, straightening his back and looking around to gain back the orientation he’d lost when he’d passed out.

The first thing he realized was that he’d been leaned against the statue of Bahamut while he’d been unconscious as he used it to stabilize himself. He was sure that it wasn’t just coincidence, didn’t pay it a lot of attention though, as it was quickly grabbed by the fight still going on in front of him.

Prompto had seen a lot of battles in his life, some smaller and some more serious than others. Had seen the face of war, the effect of it mirrored in the expression of those who had to deal with casualties every day. But during all his time spent battling monsters, demons or soldiers he’d never experienced a fight like the one going on right now.

 Ardyn and Noctis were warping around each other, bright flashes of light following them, making Prompto whip his head around in attempt to catch up with their incredibly fast movement even though it was an almost impossible thing. Ignis and Gladio were there as well, never leaving Noctis’ side, but it didn’t take Prompto long to recognize that Ardyn’s focus wasn’t on them at all. He knew that the man could overpower them easily, probably even with Noctis there. He’d succeeded in almost hurting Prompto lethally after all. The thought alone sent an unpleasant shiver down his spine.

They were fighting, there was no question about it. Still, something about the way Noctis acted bothered Prompto, made him wary and even more conscious of everything that was happening around him.

The other almost seemed hesitant. His warping lacked the usual kind of determination, just as his attacks were void of the ferocity Prompto had grown to admire over the years. Something was wrong, so very wrong, and judging by the growing anxiety in his chest it wasn’t just a random gut-feeling. What he’d give to freeze time right now, if only for a few seconds, just to be able to ask Noctis what had happened whilst he’d been gone. A moment to tell him that he wasn’t alone anymore.

Prompto slowly felt himself grow stronger again. It was weird how he could feel so powerful, invincible even, yet so physically weak at the same times. Maybe Bahamut had really been right about him not being able to wield the power of the kings himself. He’d seen Noctis do it in the past and it had always seemed to take a lot out of him, more than he’d ever seemed willing to admit.

He didn’t know what finally made him snap out of his thoughts and step forward, making his presence known. Maybe it was the was the way Ardyn’s blade seemed to inch closer to Prompto’s friends with each warp strike or the way the usually unwavering look in Noctis’ eyes shifted just the tiniest bit. It didn’t matter. What mattered was that as soon as the others did recognize him, everything stopped, just as if he’d snapped his fingers and told them to do so. In another situation, he would’ve laughed but now he struggled to breathe.

“Prompto?”

“You’re alive?”

Noctis and Gladio called out to him simultaneously after a few seconds of silence that seemed to stretch on endlessly. As soon as they did so, Noctis abandoned his fighting stance completely, letting his Armiger disappear in a flash of blue, walking over to him in quick strides.

“I thought you were dead! I thought I…” The other paused, trying to find his words, “I thought I’d lost you, damn it! Why the hell did you step in front of me?” Noctis’ voice quickly grew quieter and was nothing but a hushed whisper at the end. He clearly didn’t want Ardyn to hear but the man didn’t seem to be too surprised by Prompto’s sudden appearance anyway, leaning on his sword with the usual grin on his face.

“I promised myself I wouldn’t let anything happen to you, it just… happened. I’m sorry for scaring you like that.” He replied. It was true, he really was sorry for scaring the other like that but he didn’t regret the choice he’d made. Something told him that he did the right thing, however dangerous and naïve it might’ve been.

“ _Scaring me_? That’s what you’re hung up about? Don’t you ever think about yourself for a minute? We all know that I can fight my own battles! I could never forgive myself if one of you _died_ because of me and you know that better than anyone.” Noctis’ tone changed into a more bitter one, displeasure accentuated by his clenched fists. Despite all the anger Prompto could see hurt flash in his eyes, an unspoken _Haven’t I lost enough?_ between the lines of his hasty sentences.

At first, Prompto wanted to point out that dying for him was exactly what they were supposed to do when it came down to it and, judging by the oath he’d made, he’d acted the way that was expected of him. But why point out something that Noctis knew already, something he’d heard so often all his life? It wouldn’t help anyone right now and they really didn’t have the time for any deep conversations.

A look over Noctis’ shoulder only confirmed his suspicion. Ardyn was still standing there calm as ever, an amused grin on his face hiding any indication of what he was thinking. It looked as though fighting was the furthest thing on his mind right now and he’d be perfectly content standing there for all eternity. Still, Prompto knew it would be downright foolish of him to trust the man.

So, he did the only thing that he could think of right now. He took a step forward, taking one of Noctis’ hands in his as best as he could with it still being clenched into a fist, not seeming to ease up its grip anytime soon. The look of irritation in his eyes was slowly replaced by one of confusion but Prompto never once looked away from him, hoping that it would give him some security at least.

Then, he let his other hand rest at the back of Noctis’ neck, fingers slowly running through the still slightly damp strands. Before the other could react, he kissed him, lingering for just a few seconds before pulling away again. A few seconds were enough, enough that he could fully lose himself in his soulmate again if he would allow himself. It would be highly uncalled for, even this short moment between them felt far too intimate to be exposed like this but for all Prompto knew he might have to act fast.

“Trust me, only this once.” Prompto said lowly, resting his forehead against Noctis’ own that was covered with a fine sheen of sweat. The other’s breathing had slowed down a bit which calmed Prompto. Noctis wasn’t weak, weakness had never been something he connected with his friend even when they were younger. He guessed that his talk with Bahamut must’ve made him much more attentive when it came to his soulmate’s reaction to certain things. Not bad, just another thing he’d have to be cautious of.

Noctis took a few deep breaths. Prompto could tell that he did so as best as he could but he could still hear every rhythmic shaky exhale. “You don’t have to ask.”

Prompto didn’t know what he should’ve answered to that. The thoughts swirling around in his head consisted of _He does trust me_ and _Maybe he really does need me_ and the sensation almost made him grin a bit. Before he got the chance to give his thoughts a voice, heavy footsteps could be heard, followed by a quiet chuckle.

“I must admit, I’m almost starting to feel a bit intrusive here. A Prince rescued by… yet another Prince? That’s not how the fairy tale goes, is it?” Ardyn said, voice teasing and cold at the same time.

“Perhaps not the ones you’re concerned with. Has there not been enough time to spare for some literature?” Ignis, who was still standing next to Gladio, replied in a calm tone. The shield was quick to cover his laughter with a well-played coughing fit. Prompto wished Ignis could see his thumbs-up gesture.

“Why would I waste any of my precious time that has been given to me with reading when a simple dip into my _memories_ is so much more convenient?” Of course. Ardyn had most likely been there when the soulmates in Insomnia became apparent. He’d had a front row view to everything that had happened and with that, a dangerous amount of knowledge that the four of them couldn’t top.

“But when we’re already talking about time and how it gets wasted… Don’t you think we should end this small talk here?” The man continued, walking toward Ignis and Gladio and letting them sink to the ground with a barely noticeable gesture, effortless and quietly. “It’s just another waste of time, after all.”

Prompto’s first instinct was to rush over towards his unconscious friends but before he could approach them, Ardyn stopped him by stepping forward. “They have no business here. As much as I like your friends, I’m afraid we’d best keep this between the three of us, wouldn’t want to put them in danger now would we?”

“I don’t think that’s up to you to decide,” Noctis replied. Prompto could tell that he tried hard to stay calm.

“Well, too late now. Don’t worry though, I can assure you they’ll be alright, it really would be a pity otherwise.” The tone of Ardyn’s voice would never stop making Prompto feel uneasy and nauseous, that he was sure of. He was trying to make them feel unsafe, was trying to push and pull at their bond as best as he could.

“We won’t negotiate any further with you until you stop this. Wake them up _now_.” Noctis demanded, voice strong and dripping with venom.

“You know, I’ve always been taught to take orders from a king,” Ardyn began, slowly walking around them, pinning Noctis with his gaze, “but you’ve never been a king to me. You cannot even protect your friends – how will you protect a whole kingdom? Just admit it – you’ve _feared_ your responsibility all along. Being left alone with it scares you. Knowing that you’ll never be able to follow your father’s footsteps haunts you.” His eyes never left Noctis when he spoke. Prompto shuddered and the desire to yell at Ardyn to stop this grew stronger and more uncontrollable with each word that reached him. It didn’t matter whether Ardyn was only trying to bluff or not – Prompto knew that he was beginning to tear down the fragile walls Noctis had built up around himself, the ones he never let anyone see beyond, the ones that protected memories and fears and everything in between. The thought of Ardyn coming close enough to threaten something, somebody that didn’t belong to him triggered something inside Prompto. The thought that he could get his hands on fragile strings of light, tangle and destroy them until only a flicker remained.

The flash of blue appeared just as thunder roared and in what felt like a fragment of a second, Prompto had Ardyn pinned beneath him, hand holding onto the man’s jacket in order to keep him down.

“That’s enough,” He said, looking into the eyes beneath him. He realized that this was the first time he wasn’t actively trying to get away from under Ardyn’s gaze, instead he was seeking it out, ready to face it, “It doesn’t matter what he is to you. He’s done more for his people than you ever have and you know it.”

Ardyn’s grin only faltered for a second before he replied, confident as ever. “Didn’t know you had it in you. Then again, I should have expected it. You’re made to kill, after all,” The man stopped for a second, only to grab Prompto’s wrist that was still latched onto his coat, gripping it tightly. Prompto was certain that he could shatter it easily, that’s how fragile he felt all of a sudden. “Only a matter of time before you turn against that king you speak so highly of, don’t you think?”

“I might have been made with that intention but you don’t control me anymore. You’ll never make me turn against the people I care about.” He responded, feeling a dangerous mixture of anger and adrenaline run through his veins. Ardyn’s tactics were cheap and they were all aware of that fact, yet they didn’t fall on deaf ears.

“You don’t think I’m in control?” The man asked before moving his hand away from Prompto’s wrist a bit, freeing the barcode that had been hidden beneath it, “I’m afraid that as long as you both have this you don’t have nearly as much control as you think you do.”

“Seems to me like we’ve still got plenty.” Another voice behind Prompto said. Whilst he’d been staring down at Ardyn, cautious of the man’s every movement, Noctis had approached behind him and was now standing there. The familiar blue flashes of his Armiger were encircling him and his eyes seemed to glow from behind strands of black hair that had fallen over them.

He looked ethereal yet so, so lethal at the same time. Once more Prompto was astounded and fascinated as to how he could hold so much raw power at his disposal without ever seeming to buckle under the weight. The sheer blue weapons that were a part of the Armiger were only a small indication of the amount of power there was.

Prompto thought about Bahamut’s words once more, about how the Bladekeeper had assured him that he’d been graced with the exact same power. Yet he couldn’t believe it, didn’t know whether he wanted to believe that there was just so much he could call upon if he desired it. He wondered if Noctis knew, if he could feel a shift in whatever force he was holding in the palm of his hands.

Noctis stepped even closer until he was looking directly down at Ardyn. “Let go,” he hissed.

Ardyn just grinned. “Of course, your Majesty. I was only protecting myself.”

As soon as Prompto’s wrist was freed from the man’s grip, he got up, standing next to Noctis.

“I trusted you earlier but this time you need to trust me.” Noctis said, a quiet whisper in between all the rushing thoughts that crashed like waves against each other in Prompto’s mind. When he looked up at the other, he was immediately met by glowing purple where there once was a deep, calm shade of blue. He still remembered taking a picture of Noctis the first time he’d seen it happening, when the younger prince had touched the last runestone. That particular picture had always had a special place in his camera roll, one for guaranteed safekeeping. Not only were there so many memories attached to it but also the knowledge that it showed the _real_ Noctis. The one that could demand the power of gods whenever he wanted it, the one whose abilities surpassed anything a simple human could imagine.

Prompto took the hand that Noctis stuck out to him, intertwining their fingers. In that moment, a myriad of sensations ran through his body. There was that thunderstorm again, the one he’d felt after he’d woken up only now it was a hundred times more intense. Bolts of lightning seemed to strike right through him, making him want to hold onto them, holding their power captive and their electricity close.

In that moment, everything he’d heard about soulmates, the power he’d been given and the feelings he’d been having seemed to finally come together and make sense in a way that it had never done before. It felt _right_ , a bit like he’d been walking in the dark for so long but only now managed to see something more. When he’d first seen Noctis again after thinking that he’d lost him, when they’d first felt that there was something bonding them – Those had been the moments when he’d thought that it could never get more intense. But right now it did, a bond stronger than death itself.

There was light, so much light, blue sparks and warm yellow specks. Prompto was sure that even if the sun would disappear again just like it had so many years ago, this right here would light up just as much.

He closed his eyes with a smile on his face.

 

***

 

“Prompto? Noct? Can you hear me?”

The voice was almost drowned out by the constant rushing in Prompto’s ears. He felt as if he was underwater but all he saw was fog all around him, a sea of white and grey.

Suddenly, he saw a silhouette of a man, tall and broad, seemingly dressed in all black. Upon approaching closer, he could see grey hair. Without thinking he followed him, deciding that no matter who this was, it would be better to not be all alone in this strange space. The man walked in fast, determined strides but never in a way Prompto couldn’t catch up on.

“Prom? Hey, you gotta wake up.”

Another voice. Familiar, just like the last one had been, only this time he felt a weird warm feeling spread through his hand.

In that moment, the man that had been walking in front of him disappeared, taking the fog with him. A quiet _thank you_ hummed through the air.

Finally, Prompto was able to open his eyes.

The first thing he noticed was that they weren’t on Angelgard anymore. Instead, the grey skies that had been looming over the island were replaced by a ceiling and there weren’t sharp rocks digging into his back anymore.

Someone sighed next to him. “You’re back, thank the Six,” Noctis said softly, looking down at him while still clasping one of Prompto’s hands. That also explained the warm feeling he’d gotten.

“Prompto, are you alright? Does anything hurt?” Ignis then asked, sounding concernced.

“I… guess? What happened?” His throat felt dry and scratchy and he also felt incredibly tired but he didn’t want to concern his friends any further. He was alive and that was enough.

“You two raised hell there. Poor guy didn’t stand a chance.” Gladio replied from behind the steering wheel of the ship. So that’s where they were at the moment.

“What do you mean? What did we do?”

“Ardyn. We really did it. He’s gone now and won’t return. Ever.”

Prompto looked at Noctis, confusion clear on his face. The other just smiled at him and got up, offering his hand to Prompto. “Come on, let’s sit over there and I’ll explain.”

Slowly, Prompto got up. He realized now just how badly his legs were shaking – his entire body, really. With Noctis supporting him however they eventually made it over to one of the couches at the back of the boat. Prompto complained that he could walk perfectly fine by himself at first but Noctis just replied that he could finally repay him for practically carrying him all the way from Insomnia.

Prompto cleared his throat. “So… what exactly happened?”

The other took a deep breath. “I don’t exactly know myself but… remember when I took your hand and you stood next to me?” Prompto nodded, before Noctis continued, “It’s strange but in that moment I suddenly felt so much more powerful, almost as if it doubled or something. After that, everything’s pretty much a blur, really. The only thing I know is that Ardyn is gone now. He wanted to manipulate us by using our barcodes in order to gain the upper hand but that didn’t work.”

Of course. Noctis had no idea that Prompto spoke to Bahamut. “Yeah uh, about that, I spoke to Bahamut back when I… died? Anyways, he told me that as your soulmate, I get the same powers you do but I’m not supposed to use them since I don’t know how.”

Noctis looked shocked, which was understandable. “Wait, you spoke to _Bahamut?”_

“I couldn’t exactly tell you about it with Ardyn around and everything.”

“No, I get it, I really do. I’m just glad you’re okay,” He stopped for a few seconds, before looking at Prompto with a smirk on his face, “And you used them perfectly fine. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

Prompto chuckled. “Thanks, I appreciate that but I don’t think I’ll use them for a while. I suppose it’s safer for everyone that way.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll teach you about them sometime. It’s not all that different from using a gun.”

“Somehow I doubt that,” Prompto said, before looking down at their hands that were still holding onto each other, “But I’m also glad that I could keep my promise.”

“Not letting anything happen to me?”

“You remember what my first message to you was? What I promised you back in Gralea?” He met Noctis eyes hesitantly, “It’s not too late to make the world a better place, you know. We can still do it, together this time.”

Noctis looked at him, so much _light_ in his eyes. “Together, yeah. That sounds pretty good.”

In that moment, there were so many words left unspoken between them but Prompto knew that they’d have plenty of time for them later. Them, and so many more.

They’d have just as much time as the universe would give them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Congratulations, you've finally reached the end of this ^.^  
> I just wanna say thank you so much to everyone who spent time reading this, giving kudos and always commenting such incredibly nice things. You guys have honestly motivated me so much and made writing this even more enjoyable!  
> I'm aware that this story is nowhere near perfect and there are things that I'd change about it but it's still been a great experience writing this. Again, thank you! <3
> 
> you can also find me on [tumblr](https://solislucinus.tumblr.com) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/scylaire)


	27. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short epilogue to wrap this all up :)

Sunlight shone directly through the gaps of the curtains that covered the windows, making the white wall Prompto was staring at appear even brighter, almost blinding. Small particles of dust hung in the air, moving ever so slowly whilst seemingly reflecting the bright morning light.

The world outside was filled with chatter, calm conversations occasionally interrupted by loud laughter that always seemed so sudden and out of place yet it made him feel at ease. His thoughts wandered, making him wonder what those people were talking about. What their story was.

For the first time in what seemed like a small eternity, the world outside didn’t matter to him, at least not in a way it usually did. The worries in his mind and the need to always be awake and alert were replaced by a comfortable daze, daydreams lingering where dark thoughts had lurked once, the remnants of sleep settling over them like a soft blanket.

He knew that soon enough it would matter again and instead of just seeing the sunlight peeking through the curtains he’d feel its warmth on his skin but for now it didn’t. And he was alright with that.

The more he kept staring at the specks of dust and the ray of sunshine that hit the wall behind them, the more he became aware of the fact that he was really here. That _they_ were really here.

As if on cue, the arm that was thrown across his waist tightened its hold, fingertips gently digging into his side. A small grunt interrupted the familiar breathing pattern Prompto had been listening to as Noctis pulled him closer before he let out a soft sigh and gave into sleep once more.

The action made Prompto aware of how warm it was, despite only his legs being tangled in the sheets which were laying halfway down on the floor. The sun had only just risen above the horizon, yet he could tell that the desert heat would only make him want to stay in the shade later, probably find an excuse to disappear into Takka’s diner where the AC worked better than anywhere else. He couldn’t find it in him to complain though, not really, not after knowing what a world without sunlight was like.

That thought alone would be enough to send his mind spinning again, off to a dark place far away where nothing would illuminate his path. It _would_ , if he let it. Instead, he turned his head a bit, letting the sunlight-lit wall be and focusing his gaze on Noctis. Immediately he felt grounded again, mind let back to a safe place that was a little less grey and foggy and a little more bright and blue.

A smile tugged on the corners of Prompto’s mouth upon seeing the other look so utterly peaceful and relaxed, still off chasing his dreams somewhere far away yet so close. Noctis’ eyelids fluttered from time to time which only strengthened his suspicions. Dark eyelashes fanned out across pale cheeks and Prompto immediately felt an urge to touch, to carefully run his finger down the slope of the other’s nose and to memorize each feature until they’d follow him into his dreams. Yet he resisted, not wanting to disturb Noctis’ rest. He was so incredibly grateful that they were able to do this, just lie here together without having to care what was going on around them and not having to worry about whether their time was limited or not.

His gaze wandered to Noctis’ hair which was an absolute mess, sprawled out across the pillow next to him in a manner that didn’t even come close to its usual style. It was the perfect evidence of the way Prompto’s fingers had tangled themselves in the jet-black strands just a few hours ago, tugging and pulling to bring the other closer and keep him there. The dark bruise that bloomed on Noctis’ neck was what caught his eye next, sending a shiver down his spine and a blush across his cheeks. It reminded him of quiet gasps and muffled moans, whispered words and soft-spoken promises that had held more weight than if he’d screamed them.

 

***

 

“My Dad always told me that the universe works in funny ways and you know what? I think he was right.”

Noctis’ words interrupted the comfortable silence that had settled between them, making Prompto look over at the other. They were sat on the same platform they’d been on when Noctis came back from the crystal, only the mood between them was completely different now. All the fears and doubts were miles away, lightyears instead of just weeks.

“What makes you say that?” Prompto asked.

When Noctis turned to look at him, he was almost a bit taken aback by how absolutely ethereal he looked. The stars from the dark sky above them reflected in his eyes, making them look like two galaxies of their own, galaxies that felt so much like home.

“Just think about it,” The other started, gesturing to the sky, “Us being here together, being _alive_ should be impossible yet somehow we made it.

“I thought a lot about that too. Sometimes I still can’t believe that we really made it,” He added the second part with a chuckle before looking up at the sky once more, “So when do you wanna start?”

“Start with what?”

“I promised you we’d make the world better for everyone. Together.”

“It’s already pretty good if you ask me,” Noctis replied, smiling widely, “I’m ready when you are.”

 

That night as soon as they got back to the caravan Prompto made sure to grab a pen, carefully writing letters onto his wrist for the first time in what seemed like forever.

He fell asleep tracing his own handwriting on Noctis’ wrist, caressing each letter of a promise he’d made so long ago.

One he’d never break, no matter how many galaxies would crumble around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you can also find me on [tumblr](https://solislucinus.tumblr.com) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/scylaire)


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